Spaghetti bolognese has always been one of my favourite dishes, but until recently I had always used jarred sauces and very little (if any!) vegetables. Cooking was never something I enjoyed. I learned to make a few dishes during my time doing Junior Cert home economics – but the stifling smell of burnt food always accompanied anything I produced. Bleh!
The appeal of a jar of Dolmio Bolognese Sauce was of course its convenience. I would cook the minced beef, throw in the jar of sauce, leave to simmer for a few minutes before scooping out onto a plate of hot pasta. It was easy peasy, but not very healthy at all. Occasionally, and I mean very occasionally, I would throw in a tin of Green Giant sweetcorn. But I much preferred the dish when it was veggie-free.
This year, however, I went through a complete turnaround. I decided it was time to start cooking fresh food, and the idea of making something from scratch excited me. I knew I’d need to start with something simple, because I was severely lacking in any sort of culinary skill or experience. So I chose spaghetti bolognese.
Ingredients:
- 4 small onions (or 2 large)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 700g Irish lean minced beef (5% fat or less)
- 4 large carrots
- 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
- (Optional) 1 green, red, and yellow pepper
- Mixed herbs
- Ground black pepper
- Salt
- Fry Light 1 Cal spray (in place of oil)
Method
- Dice onions and garlic on chopping board
- Spray the base of a large pot with Fry Light 1 Cal spray and heat, then add onions and garlic
- At this stage, the kitchen should smell delicious – but remember to keep a stir on the onions and garlic while they’re being sauteed to prevent them from sticking and burning to the pot
- While the onions and garlic are cooking, peel and chop the carrots
- (Also chop peppers if you’ve chosen to include them)
- Add minced beef to the pot, stir well to mix through the onions
- Then add 2-3 tablespoons of mixed herbs, and stir well again
- Once the beef is cooked through, add chopped carrots (and peppers) then stir in the tinned tomatoes
- Leave mixture to simmer for 15 minutes, and season with black pepper and salt
Add the the bolognese to a plate of hot spaghetti or pasta. I always boil my pasta in salted water for extra flavour. Then sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top. Delicious!
I know this isn’t the most extravagant of meals, but it’s such an improvement on what I was making before. I feel so much healthier now that I eat fresh. I never realised how much my body was suffering from eating preserved foods so often until I changed my habits. The quality of my skin and hair has improved too, which is a real confidence booster.
My mam has started eating healthily with me, and she has even started to grow her own tomatoes. This is a photo of the tomatoes a few months ago when they were very young shoots.
They’re much taller now, and have started to bud. She keeps them in a small greenhouse in our back garden, and they should be ready to eat by next summer. They’ll definitely be a great addition to my spaghetti bolognese!
So that’s the recipe for my favourite meal, and I hope if you try it that you’ll like it too. It’s simple, but it’s healthy and fresh, and most importantly it’s tasty. What more could a hungry person ask for?
By Grace McGettigan
