When my children were younger , I have a habit of sneaking in fruits and vegetables in their favorite foods. I did this because as any parent knows, there is something in “vegetables” that instantly makes toddlers run away.
I admit I was one of those children. I remembered how my mom would wrap whatever vegetables we will have for dinner and deep fry it so that I’ll eat my veggies. Who can say NO to crunchy spring rolls right? Sorry kids, been there, done that!
Now that the kids are bigger, I still continue to add grated or pureed vegetables even if they are no longer scared of the word veggies. I mean there’s nothing wrong with an extra serving or two in each meal.
If you’ve been following the #GFAFLunches series on my Instagram stories, you will notice that I often mention meat sauce. Let’s just say that I have a bunch of meat sauce recipes on hand and continues to make more.
In fact, twice a month I make a big batch of meat sauce. What’s not to love? One, it is quite easy to cook. Two, by simply changing some seasonings or adding leftover vegetables, it will be a totally different dish. Third, it can feed an army. (Hello, 4 growing kids in the house.) Lastly, it is very versatile.
A good bolognese can be eaten on it’s own, with rice or pasta, chips, added into a wrap, quesadilla or even lettuce cups. The possibilities are endless. Just ask one of my kiddos and each will tell you how they “jazz up” their meat sauce.
Hugs,
(Note: This post contains affiliate links. While no extra cost to you, I get a small commission when you make a purchase. Thank you for your support.)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 big zucchini, grated
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
- 1 32 oz marinara sauce
- 1 Tbs. sea salt
- Heat a big dutch oven to medium. Once hot, add the ground beef and brown the meat evenly.
- Add the grated zucchini. Cook for 10 minutes. Stirring frequently.
- Then add the vinegar, oregano, marinara sauce and sea salt. Mix well.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes. The longer, the better.
- Serve hot.
.png "The Collective 2021")
I love the flavors in this dish, the zucchini is perfect in it
LOVE pasta dishes. Such a comfort food, and always seem so easy to make. Great idea on adding zucchini. I always try to bump up the nutritional content in my recipes by adding more veggies!