Beef and Bean Layered Bowl (GAPS : primal : grain-free : gluten-free : nut-free)

This recipe is a simple combination of two foods we already enjoy: ground beef taco meat and basic white navy beans.  Top them with some garnishes and both my husband and daughter LOVE this meal!  This meal reheats well, and freezes wonderfully for easy lunches.

Beef and Bean Layered Bowl

• Ground Beef Taco Meat (recipe follows)
• Basic White Navy Beans (recipe follows)
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Chopped avocado
• Sour cream
• Salsa

1. Make your layered bowl as follows: beans followed by a sprinkle of cheese, followed by beef. Top with more cheese, avocado chunks, a dollop of sour cream, and a scoop of salsa.  
2. Serve and enjoy!
3. If you'd like to freeze any leftovers, leave out the avocado as it gets a bit strange in the freezer.  But the cheese, sour cream, and salsa are all fine in the freezer.  Also, perhaps add a bit of the bean juice, as freezing can seem to dry things out upon reheating. We prefer to freeze in glass Pyrex dishes, that way they can be reheated directly in a toaster oven at about 225-250 degrees.  It can take quite awhile to reheat, but there is no work involved.   

Ground Beef Taco Meat

• 1 pound ground beef, preferably from pastured cows
• 1 medium white onion, chopped 
• 3 fresh cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-2 Tb butter, beef tallow or refined coconut oil
• Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1&1/2 tsp dried cumin
• On a busy night, you can substitute 1 Tb onion powder for the onion, 1/2 tsp garlic powder for the fresh garlic, and omit the tallow

1. Melt butter (or tallow or coconut oil) in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and a little sprinkle of salt.  Saute for 10-15 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft, with a bit of browned color. 
2. Crumble the ground beef into the skillet. Add the dried spices, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.
3. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is nearly done.  Add the fresh garlic and cook for another minute or two, stirring as needed to make sure the garlic gets lightly cooked.

Basic White Navy Beans

• 16 ounce bag of dried white navy beans 
• Filtered water and a pinch of baking soda, for soaking the beans
• Filtered water and/or chicken broth
• 1.5 tsp Celtic sea salt  

1. Soak the beans 12-24 hours in plenty of filtered water with a pinch of baking soda.
2. Drain and rinse the beans in a colander.
3. Combine the beans, salt, and plenty of filtered water/broth.  More liquid can be added as needed while the beans cook.
4. You can cook the beans in either a slow cooker set on HIGH, or on the stovetop over low heat.  Once the beans come up to a hot temperature, skim the foam off (and discard). Depending on how fresh the beans are and how long they were soaked, they will need to cook for 2-6 hours.    
5. The beans are done when they are nicely soft, with no crunchiness. I like to make a large batch of beans periodically, and freeze most of them (along with the bean juice so they don't dry out in the freezer).  The beans can then be thawed and used easily anytime I need some beans for a recipe.