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
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!