Veg- Out Pasta Sauce

I love spaghetti sauce. There, I said it... I love it! And guess what? Tomato based pasta sauces are super easy to make even healthier.

Start with a good jarred sauce (avoid sauce in aluminum cans). I like Newman's Own, Healthy Choice, or Emeril's... but find one you like, because everyone likes different things. Avoid ones with meat in them, it's so easy to add your leaner ground beef or chicken!

Tonight I made a pasta in honor of all my friends who begin walking the Minneapolis Breast Cancer 3 Day tomorrow... I know they are all home carb-loading!

Here's just one of the many ways to veg out your spaghetti sauce . This makes 2 good sauce servings, but the more veggies you add the bigger it will go! Careful not to go too overboard... stick to 2-3 of your favorite veggies.


Veg-out your spaghetti sauce



2 cups (dry) short cut pasta. (whole wheat preffered)

1/4 lb lean ground beef (optional)

1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 med zucchini diced (or 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms)
1 handful of fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup jarred spaghetti sauce

Bring water to a boil and cook pasta per manufacturer's directions.

While pasta is cooking
1. If using, begin to  brown hamburger in Medium skillet, adding onions and zucchini while meat it still pink but partially cooked. (if not using hamburger, simply sautee veggies in 1 tsp olive oil until tender)
2. When hamburger is browned and veggies are tender, add  jarred sauce, and bring to a bubble.
3. Turn off heat, and fold in spinach until it wilts. If sauce is too thick add 2 Tbls of water.
4. Serve over cooked pasta.

Makes 2-3 portions.