Healthy Conversion: Spicy Rotini Bolognese

Delicious healthy Italian that even grandma will love!

Spicy Rotini Bolognese

  • Whole wheat pasta (serving = 2 cups cooked)
  • Shredded fat free mozzarella cheese (serving = ¼ cup)
  • Bolognese sauce (serving = 1/16 below)
    • 64 oz Regular pasta sauce
    • 1.5 lbs extra lean (99%) ground turkey
    • ½ cup diced sweet onion
    • 2 Tbsp red wine
    • 2 Tbsp sweet BBQ sauce
    • 2 Tsp balsamic vinegar
    • ½ cup mix equal parts Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, ground black pepper

pasta

The sweet elements work with the spiciness of the red and black pepper to create an almost addictive flavor.  For the sauce base, obviously use your own if you have time to cook, otherwise just use your preferred jarred sauce.  Prego is good if you like it a little sweeter.  Francesco Rinaldi is good if you like it less sweet.  Both come in large containers from warehouse stores and some local supermarkets.  Trader Joe’s carries the extra lean ground turkey at a very good price.

Here’s the key: most recipes will tell you to cook the meat first and then add the sauce.  Totally silly b/c you wind up double cooking the meat and it winds up dry even sitting in a vat of sauce.  Particularly when using lean meat, be cautions about overcooking.  I add everything at the same time and slow cook the sauce with a low flame over an hour or so- the meat is always plenty cooked but still moist.

As most people, I’m busy so I usually make 2lbs of pasta and store that and the sauce in an air-tight containers in the fridge.  This way, I have a delicious and super healthy meal in minutes anytime I want for the rest of the week!

NUTRITION FACTS

Restaurant Rotini Bolognese Healthy Rotini Bolognese
Serving size 275 g 275 g
Calories 460 320
Total fat 22 g 2 g
Saturated fat 10 g 1 g
Trans fat 1 g 0 g
Cholesterol 70 mg 10 mg
Fiber 5 g 12 g
Protein 22 g 26 g

Stay tuned and stay healthy!

10 thoughts on “Healthy Conversion: Spicy Rotini Bolognese

  1. Thank goodness I’ve found you! you’ve given me so many wonderful ideas and have inspired me to be more adventurous with my cooking. Looking forward to more of your culinary delights x

  2. i’ve tried two of heathers recipes and they are both awesome. AWESOME! not in the modern sense but the biblical sense. i am so grateful for her recipes. respect !

  3. I’ve been watching your Heathy recipe and really like them…you really do a great job giving everyone a step-by-step recipe for these great dishes…..Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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