Zoodle Bolognese

Two posts in one week!? I'm on a role lately! Meat sauce is one our go-to recipes because you can throw it on top of so many different things - zucchini noodles (aka zoodles), spaghetti squash, gluten free pasta, grains, or just eat it by itself. Zoodles are another favorite of mine because they're an amazing pasta substitution - they have a great texture, flavor, and I actually like them more than pasta honestly. 

You will need a spiralizer for this recipe if you plan to make the zoodles, or you could just sub a different type of pasta. This recipe is mainly for the bolognese anyway, so pick whatever base you'd like! This meat sauce is seriously good for you. It has a little health and anti-inflammatory boost with the turmeric, coconut oil, ghee and kale additions (I know, you wouldn't even know it was in there, and you can't taste it!). It's definitely a recipe you won't feel guilty eating! The recipe is really pretty large, so you can throw the leftovers in the freezer and enjoy at a later time.

Ingredients:

• 1 24oz jar or 2 12oz jars of crushed tomatoes
• 1 package (1 lb) of organic beef, turkey, or bison (whatever you prefer)
• 4 large carrots
• 2 bunches of curly kale
• 1 red onion
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil (or half and half)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• Salt & pepper
• 1 12oz can of tomato sauce (optional. I add this sometimes because I like mine a little "saucier" - the recipe is decently chunky without)
• Touch of parmesan (optional to sprinkle on top if desired)

Directions:

1. Chop the carrots, onion, and kale, or even blend in a food processor (you want them to be chopped very fine). Mince all the garlic cloves too.
2. Melt the coconut oil, olive oil, and ghee in a larger pot over medium heat.
3. Add chopped vegetables and garlic to the pot and cook for a few minutes until onions are translucent. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper on top.
4. Add the meat, break it up a bit so there are no large chunks, and cook until it is brown/cooked through.
5. Top with the crushed tomatoes, turmeric, salt and pepper, and stir well so everything is mixed.
6. Simmer for about a half hour (and by simmer, I mean that the sauce will have little tiny bubbles coming up through it, so that could be low/medium heat actually).
7. Top the zoodles, noodles, spaghetti squash or whatever you choose as a base with the meat sauce, and you're good to go! 

The Ultimate Quinoa Bowl

This is my most frequently made dish by far - we do them at least once a week. Quinoa bowls are super easy and fast to make, plus they're healthy and delicious. I'm a fan of adding a fried egg on top, as well as avocado (always!), but you can do a ton of different combinations depending on what you prefer. 

To prepare my favorite, you'll need the following: 1 avocado, 1 sweet potato, a bunch of kale, 1 fried egg, and quinoa. Cook the quinoa according to the package (I believe it's one cup of quinoa to two cups of water or broth). I highly recommend using broth to cook the quinoa over water, because it makes it much tastier. I'd even go a step up and cook it in bone broth for a little extra nutrition and health benefits! I also love to add some turmeric to my quinoa once it is cooked for a major anti-inflammatory boost.

While the quinoa is cooking, bake the sweet potato and kale in the oven. Peel and dice the sweet potato and toss the cubes in 1 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tsp rosemary, salt and pepper. Place them on a tray lined with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until soft. As for the kale, remove the stalks and rip the kale into smaller pieces. Toss the pieces in 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and bake on another baking sheet for about 15 minutes or until crispy. Finally, heat a little bit of coconut oil in a frying pan and crack 1 (or however many eggs you want) in the pan and fry them. Another option would be to do poached eggs if you want to get really creative.

This is my absolute favorite quinoa bowl combination - it's warm, hearty, and savory, plus it's extremely filling and yummy. The fun thing thing about these bowls is that you can pretty much throw anything into them, depending on what you have in your fridge. Broccoli, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, corn, pretty much any kind of meat, cheese, and so much more. You can also make a more refreshing bowl with mint, fruit, avocado and corn - this makes a great summer salad!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 avocado
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• a bunch/handful of kale
• coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• tumeric
• salt & pepper to taste

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