Quick & Healthy Meat Sauce

This recipe happened on a whim. I was getting out some ground beef for tacos and the next thing I know, Virginia was by my side demanding to have spaghetti for dinner. I checked the pantry and saw we had some of my favorite Banza pasta still stocked so I set to work making a quick meat sauce. This one ended up being so delicious I knew I had to write it down. Best of all…it got the seal of approval from the kiddos and they didn’t even complain about the veggies I loaded into it. Winner, winner, spaghetti dinner.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1 cup chopped carrots (I used baby carrots because that’s what we had but any carrots would work)

1 lb ground beef

1 - 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 - 15 oz can tomato sauce

1/2 jar Rao’s marinara sauce (I like Rao’s because it has no added sugar)

1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

1/2 Tbsp dried basil

1 tsp umami seasoning

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup chopped spinach

Directions: In large pot or dutch oven, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions, garlic, bell peppers and carrots. Sauté 4-5 minutes or until fragrant and vegetables are beginning to soften. Add ground beef and break up with wooden spoon. Cook until beef if fully browned. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, marinara, and seasonings. Bring to a boil then turn heat to low and simmer 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and add spinach. Stir to wilt. Serve over pasta of choice…or just eat it by itself - I’ve tried it and it’s pretty delicious…

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Scotchies...Just In Time For the Holidays

I don’t really remember the first time I had an oatmeal scotchie but I remember knowing I loved them ever since…

To me, they have a distinctly holiday flavor - probably the warm spices and butterscotch - and I never really think about them until the holidays are rolling around. I looked and looked for a healthier version, but settled on just making my own and I’m happy to report they are delightful and taste just like the real thing. And just like any “dessert,” I wouldn’t consider this a “health” food - but I cleaned them up a bit so I could feel a little better about letting the girls loose on them :)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Vital Farms unsalted butter, brought to room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

1 cup coconut sugar

1 T vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF)*

1 1/4 cup flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF Baking Flour)*

1/2 tsp each cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

pinch nutmeg (optional but encouraged)

1 cup butterscotch chips*

*I used GF ingredients to make these cookies but you could certainly use regular flour and oats (oats are naturally GF but often prepared in a way that makes them not certified GF - read your labels!) if you want and everything would work just fine!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Make sure egg and butter are room temperature.

2. Add oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg to large bowl and mix to combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and coconut sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

3. Add egg and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.

4. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in butterscotch chips.

5. Scoop 1-2 Tbsp rounded scoops of dough onto a lined cookie sheet and gently press down.

6. Bake in oven for about 4 minutes. Remove and give a hard tap in order to deflate them. Put them back in the oven for another 4 minutes and then give them another tap. Let bake 1-2 additional minutes then remove from the oven and let cook on the baking sheet (this will help them crisp up even more).