Blog or Bust #3: Not-So-Ghoulish Ghoulash!

Hi everyone, and Happy Halloween! What a great excuse for free candy and wearing costumes! I, of course, am in full garb (even though I won't be trick-or-treating) because, well, it's fun!


October 31st is the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Holloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago. The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night, so they began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human. If you want to know some more trivia, hop over here!


Well, in the food related world, Blog or Bust is back for a third go-around, this time with Fall Dishes as the theme. Now for most of us, Fall means cold, and cold means time for comfort food! Of course, nobody wants to deal with guilt after being comforted, right?


Hence, my different kind of goulash recipe was born. I cut the amount of oil and red meat in half, and boosted the vegetable content with red peppers, onions, butternut squash, tomato paste and pumpkin puree. I also threw in some great beer, and a half head of garlic for kicks.


The result of the toying? A succulent meal for serving over noodles, brown rice or mashed potatoes that has 241 calories, 7g of fat, 3g of fibre and 130% of the daily recommended Vitamin A intake per serving! When you consider the original recipe had 145 more calories, double the fat, 1g less fibre and only 29% of the RDA of Vitamin A, I would say this is a great bargain!

A Different Kind of Goulash

Serves 6

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 lb cubed beef shank or flank steak
1/2 cup Vidalia onions, diced

1 cup red peppers, chopped

1 1/2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 cups Pilsner Urquell beer
2 tbsp cornstarch

5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano

1. In large pot, heat oil.
2. Brown beef cubes slightly, then add onions and cook until golden brown. Stir in peppers and butternut squash.
3. Add caraway seeds and toast.
4. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, black pepper, and beer.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until beef is tender.
6. Add cornstarch, and cook to thicken.
7. Stir in salt, garlic & oregano, simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes.