Sweet-and-sour done clean: lean beef and peppers tossed with noodles in a sticky, tangy sauce built on sugar-free ketchup and a little honey. One bowl is 30.5g of protein for 421 calories.

The same sauce works for chicken and shrimp, so it’s worth learning once.

Ingredients

  • For the noodles
  • Noodles or pasta — 85 g (capellini or any) [P 12 C 62 F 3]
  • Salt — for the noodle water
  • For the sweet & sour sauce
  • Low-sodium soy sauce — 2 tbsp [P 2 C 3 F 0]
  • Honey — 1 tbsp
  • Sugar-free ketchup — 1 tbsp
  • Apple cider vinegar — 1 tbsp
  • Minced garlic — 1 tsp
  • For the beef stir-fry
  • Ground beef — 227 g (1 cup, 95% lean) [P 50 C 0 F 11]
  • Onion — 1 medium, sliced [P 1 C 7 F 0]
  • Bell pepper — 1 medium, sliced [P 1 C 5 F 0]
  • Olive oil — 1 tsp (or spray)
  • Pepper, chilli powder — a generous amount

Method

  1. Cook the noodles. Boil 5 minutes, then drain.
  2. Mix the sauce. Combine the soy, honey, ketchup, vinegar and garlic.
  3. Stir-fry. Cook the beef, onion and pepper 6–8 minutes until browned and soft.
  4. Combine. Add the noodles and sauce; toss until absorbed.

What to eat it with

  • Pineapple: 2 tbsp juice in the sauce for extra tang.
  • Green onions and sesame seeds.
  • Steamed broccoli.

Variations

  • Chicken or shrimp — the sauce works for both.
  • Over rice instead of noodles.
  • Spicier: chilli flakes.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: about 4g a serving, from the noodles and peppers.
  • Beef note: 95% lean keeps the 11g fat honest.
  • Macros: reconcile with the per-serving 421 cal / 30.5g protein listed; no correction needed.