Grain-Free Beef and Veggie Pie

Pie for dinner!

Here’s another take on traditional comfort food, the chicken-pot-pie, but this time we’re using organic beef.

And, with a no-grain crust, this beef and veggie pie is lower-carb than the standard comfort food version.

Since we covered some health benefits of organic beef back in February with our Beef and Wild Rice Soup recipe, we’ll cover a few health benefits of two other foods, cauliflower, and basil, here.

Health Benefits of this Dish

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) is a vegetable of the Brassica family like kale, broccoli, collard greens, and cabbage.

This nutrient-dense vegetable is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals that the body needs each day to be healthy (1). Very low in calories, cauliflower provides vitamin C that the body uses to form muscle, blood vessels, and bone, and aids the absorption and storage of iron in the body (2).

Cauliflower also provides us with vitamin K, and B vitamins like B9, B6, and B5 necessary for bone formation and energy production among other things (3) (4). High in fiber, cauliflower aids weight management, digestive and cardiovascular health, and supports microflora of the colon (5).

Sulfur-containing glucosides, called glucosinolates, found in cauliflower have protective effects against breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancers (6). Glucosinolates also act as indirect antioxidants by increasing detox pathway enzymes for long-lasting antioxidant activity that helps to protect our cells from free radical damage (6).

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an herb of the mint family, and there are different varieties like sweet basil, Thai basil, and cinnamon basil. Basil provides many nutrients, but its most significant dietary contribution is the fat-soluble nutrient vitamin K which, in clinical trials, was found to reduce fractures as well as cancer as vitamin K acts to form bone and has anti-cancer properties (3). Research shows that when diets lack vitamin K, a deficiency can occur in about 7 days which can affect blood clotting, bone health, and blood calcium levels (3) (7).

Plant compounds like eugenol and linalool, found in basil, provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and have demonstrated strong potential in fighting colon, prostate, skin, and gastric cancers (8) (11).

Animal studies show that compounds (flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids) found in basil can enhance memory as they act as antioxidants and protect cells from damage (9).

The aerial parts (stem, leaves, flowers, seeds) of basil also have antidiabetic effects as they contain substances that can improve fasting blood sugar levels (10).

Grain-Free Beef & Veggie Pie Recipe:

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 lb. organic/grass-fed, finished beef, ground

1 small onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 cup fresh basil, chopped

½ tsp. oregano, dried

½ tsp. parsley, dried

1 cup cauliflower, riced

2 small carrots, diced

½ cup peas, frozen

½ cup Parmesan cheese, dried/grated

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

sea salt, and black pepper to taste

Crust:

1 cup coconut flour

6-8 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. garlic powder

1tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. oregano, dried

1 tsp. parsley, dried

¼ cup of water

¾ -1 cup Parmesan cheese, dried/grated

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the crust, combine all of the crust ingredients, using the water last to reach the desired crust consistency. Set the crust mixture aside while the filling is prepared.

For the filling, saute the onion and garlic in a large pan with about 2 tbsp. of water over medium heat, then add the ground beef and brown. Next, add the carrots and cauliflower and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine.

Pour the filling into a pie plate and press the crust, evenly, onto the top of the filling. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the top of the crust is browned.

Enjoy!