Whiteley Creek Homestead

This bionaturæ® egg pasta has become a pantry staple. The noodles are so tender with a rich flavor. They have become a favorite alongside Eden Organic Kamut Spirals. 

Most recently, I made Hamburger Bulgur Noodle Casserole with the pasta… so so good! The recipe, which came from an Eat  Heathy Your Way Magazine that I picked up at a health food store, uses bulgur to pump up the nutrition and add a texture akin to ground beef, so only 1/2 lb hamburger is used. According to livingstrong.com, "bulgur wheat is a complex carbohydrate that is digested slowly, prolonging the release of sugars into the bloodstream. This prevents the spiking of blood sugar levels. (It) is a nutrient dense complex carbohydrate that is high in fiber and low-fat protein." (This is casserole #2 in my Hamburger Macaroni Hotdish Challenge.)     

 
Hamburger Bulgur Noodle Casserole

8 oz lean grass-fed ground beef or bison

1 ½ tsp oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

½ cup water

½ cup bulgur

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp salt, divided

(I chose also to add ½ tsp dried basil and ½ tsp Italian seasoning… very nice. Next time I prepare the dish, I’m going to experiment with the addition of garlic powder and onion powder, too… 1/2 tsp of each, me thinks.

6 oz egg noodles

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup sour cream (I used Greek yogurt.)

¼ cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

(Next time, I will experiment with adding veggie layers (e.g. sliced yellow squash and zucchini.)

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with a light coating of oil. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Cook beef in a large skillet, breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. (Grass-fed ground beef or bison has virtually no fat to drain off.) Wipe out the pan and sauté onion in oil until nearly translucent. Add garlic and sauté another 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce, water, bulgur, pepper, and the beef; bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently until the bulgur is tender and the sauce is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. (I added an additional ½ cup water because it was a little too thick.) Meanwhile, cook noodles until just tender, according to package directions. Drain. Puree cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; fold in sour cream (or Greek yogurt). Season with the remaining 1/8 tsp salt and the pepper. Spread half the noodles in the prepared pan. Top with half the cottage cheese mixture and half the meat/bulgur sauce. Repeat with the remaining noodles, cottage cheese, and sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake the casserole until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.