This quick and easy recipe is a great, health promoting option for both individuals and families. The use of whole-wheat spaghetti provides an abundance of fiber and an overall better bang for our bite. Ground turkey is rich in protein and lower in saturated fat than ground beef, and including a vegetable like an orange pepper helps to pack in the vitamins and minerals. This recipe can also be easily adapted to your liking with various seasonings and your choice of pasta and tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Protein
- 1 pound ground turkey, chicken or firm tofu, crumbled (1 package)
Pasta
- 8 oz, whole grain
Water
- 1 to 2 quarts, salted (for pasta)
Bell_pepper
- 1 red/yellow/orange/green pepper, chopped
Tomato_sauce
- 1 jar (24 oz.)
Salt
- to taste
Pepper
- to taste
Garlic_powder
- to taste (optional)
Optional_ingredients
- basil and oregano (dried or fresh), to taste; parmesan cheese (for garnish); Adobo seasoning; Mrs. Dash (salt alternative)
Instructions
Step 1
Coat a pan with olive oil, set burner to medium-high heat.
Step 2
Cut pepper into cubes, add to pan.
Step 3
Prepare water to boil, add pasta once boiling.
Step 4
Add protein to pan, breaking it up with wooden spoon and seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic.
Step 5
When the turkey/meat is no longer pink, add jar of tomato sauce, stir in, and lower heat and let simmer.
Step 6
Add oregano and basil (optional).
Step 7
Once cooked, plate pasta and top with sauce.
Step 8
Garnish with parmesan cheese (optional) and enjoy!
Notes
- Substitute Mrs. Dash for salt for a lower sodium option
- If trying to reduce sodium, also look for reduced-sodium tomato sauces
- Add optional seasonings to taste such as basil, oregano, garlic powder, adobo, pepper
- Try ground chicken as another high-protein, lower-fat alternative to ground beef
- If you have a favorite form of whole-wheat pasta, try that instead of spaghetti
- If you prefer red, green, or yellow pepper, try adding those as well!