Succulent beef cooked in a tomato sauce flavored with onion, green pepper and paprika is the basis for this Goulash. The preparation for this dish is quick and easy. There’s no chopping or cutting.

Helpful Hints:

— The secret to a good goulash is good Hungarian paprika. True Hungarian paprika may be hot or mild and can be found in most supermarkets.

Countdown:

— Prepare ingredients.

— Complete recipe.

Shopping List:

1/2 pound ground beef (95% lean)*, 1 package frozen chopped onion, 1 package frozen chopped green bell pepper, 1 bottle low-sodium pasta sauce**, 1 small package flat egg noodles, 1 bottle caraway seeds, 1 bottle Hungarian paprika, 1 carton nonfat sour cream and 1 container sliced portobello mushrooms.

Staples: canola oil, salt and black peppercorns.

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GOULASH WITH CARAWAY NOODLES

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 cup frozen chopped onion

1 cup frozen chopped green bell pepper

2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms

1/2 pound lean ground beef (95 percent fat-free)*

1/2 cup reduced-sodium, no-sugar-added pasta sauce**

2 cups water

3 ounces flat egg noodles

3 teaspoons caraway seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons nonfat sour cream

Heat oil a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, green pepper, mushrooms and ground beef. Saute 2 to 3 minutes, breaking up meat with the edge of a spoon. Add pasta sauce and water. Bring to a simmer and add the noodles. Lower heat to medium, cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the caraway seeds and paprika. Cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Divide between two dinner plates. Dot the goulash with sour cream.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 453 calories, 111 calories from fat, 12.3 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat, 110 mg cholesterol, 35.9 g protein, 51.3 g carbohydrates, 7.9 g dietary fiber, 10.2 g sugars, 139 mg sodium, 12.1 mg potassium, 458 mg phosphorus.

Exchanges: 3 starch, 2 vegetable, 4 lean protein

Shop Smart:

* Lean ground beef (95% fat-free), containing per ounce: 39 calories, 1.4 g fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 19 mg sodium

** Reduced-sodium, no-sugar-added pasta sauce, containing per cup: 131 calories, 3.8 g fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 77 mg sodium