STRATEGY SESSION: I address the problem of excess fat in this recipe in 2 ways:  I substitute a lean protein for a fatty one and reduce the  overall quantity of added fat. Then, I upgrade the type of fat by substituting healthy olive oil for saturated-fat-laden butter.

These Sloppy Joes are a  far cry from the rust-colored industrial concoction that I remember from school cafeterias. For flavor, you can’t beat the original Gourmet recipe (link below), but it’s loaded with calories, fat, and cholesterol. My solution? Jettison the butter and ground chuck, and replace them with olive oil and ground buffalo. There will be so much going on  in your mouth that you won’t notice the difference.

In addition, I’ve streamlined the process so that the first two steps can be done in advance. Since I’m an early riser, I prepare my “hamburger helper” in the morning. I throw together the tomato and spice mixtures, and sometimes even chop the vegetables. (You can do these things the day before if you wish.) Then, in the evening, I have an almost instant entrée ready to go–one that my favorite carnivores love.

If you’re unfamiliar with buffalo (a.k.a. bison), it’s time you were introduced. For red meat eaters, it’s a great alternative to beef, and it’s now widely available. Nutritional counts for different brands vary with the ratio of grass to grain in the animals’ diets; nevertheless, a comparison of one brand (Thunder Ridge Bison) with beef chuck is illuminating:

Big difference! Beef chuck has almost twice as many calories, 7 times as much fat, 6 times as much saturated fat, 33% more cholesterol, and  slightly less protein. Even though buffalo costs a bit more (it’s comparable to ground sirloin in price), making Sloppy Joes with chuck is a bad bargain.

Buffalo meat has a sweet, rich flavor that some consider deeper and more intense than beef. I think the flavor lies somewhere between venison and beef, but that’s not too important. It’s simply delicious in its own right.

Serving suggestions: My husband and son like to spoon it over roasted spaghetti squash, but you can certainly serve it in the traditional way on a toasted whole wheat (I hope) bun. Cole slaw or a salad of lettuce, cucumbers, and red onion with ranch dressing would be very nice on the side.

Skinny Joes

Adapted from Sophisto Joes

• 1 14½-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1½ tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1½ cups chopped onion
• ¾ cup chopped carrot
• ¾ cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1½ pounds ground buffalo (bison)

1. Place the tomatoes and their juice, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat the oil in a large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped carrot and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. (If the mixture seems too dry, cover the skillet, reduce heat to low, cook 5 minutes; then uncover, raise the heat to medium-high, and proceed.) Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
4. Add the buffalo and brown the meat, stirring to break up the lumps. Sprinkle on the spice mixture and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato mixture and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving: Calories 258, 11 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 14 g total carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 25 g protein, 536 mg sodium.