This recipe is packed with non-starchy vegetables, which add vitamins, minerals, fiber, and bulk, for minimal calories and carbs.
By Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD
Pasta Bolognese is one of my all-time favorite foods. I wanted to give this classic recipe a modern, healthy twist.
This recipe is packed with non-starchy vegetables, which add vitamins, minerals, fiber, and bulk, for minimal calories and carbs. I used mushrooms to give it a real meaty feel; the mushrooms are what give the sauce the flavor and meatiness you expect from a bolognese sauce, without using meat.
Mushrooms also provide fiber and a good amount of vegetarian protein.
I tell my clients that the fiber and protein in each meal make losing weight no big deal.
The sauce is also enhanced by antioxidant-rich cauliflower; which also adds fiber. The result is a completely vegetarian sauce with a real meaty texture that is high in fiber, high in protein, and low in sodium. Fiber is key to sustained weight control.
Ingredients (8 servings):
Nutritional content per serving: 149 calories, 6 g protein, 18 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 12 g net carbs, 8 g sugar, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 399 mg sodium
12 oz shiitake or cremini mushrooms (stems removed)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ cup dry red wine
3 cups of curly cauliflower
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon of salt
· ¼ teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
2 oz grated low-fat Parmesan
Preparations:
1. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. Set a large dutch oven over medium-high heat and add oil to heat.
3. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add onion, celery, carrots and cook until onions are golden brown. Add garlic stirring occasionally until softened.
4. Add the red wine and cook until all the alcohol has evaporated.
5. Add cauliflower and cook until softened (about 5 min).
6. Add tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened.
7. Add tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
8. Uncover the sauce, add the almond milk and stir to combine. Add the Parmesan cheese.
9. Remove from heat and serve as desired.
Serve over whole wheat pasta for more fiber.
My family loves this recipe!
Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, is an internationally renowned registered dietitian and the creator of the renowned F-Factor™ diet, which provides a liberating approach to weight loss and optimal health based on scientifically proven, high-fiber nutrition. verified.
This recipe was originally published in Radiant Life magazine (Dec 2021).
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