Louisa's Weight Loss Blog

Last week it hit the news that the Italian chefs were reclaiming spaghetti bolognaise because the rest of us across the world have royally buggered up the real recipe and eat a tomato-y mush masquerading as spaghetti bolognaise.

Apparently, the real recipe not only includes beef mince, it includes bacon, cream and white wine.. and the pasta you are meant to use is tagliatelle.

If you’re on a diet, you will see what the problem is with the original recipe – it is a calorific nightmare! That is why I want to share my healthier version of the original. So what it isn’t ‘authentic’? If you want it just how Nonna made it, go to Italy and experience it first hand, don’t preach to me in my kitchen and tell me the original is better by virtue of being original. I just want to eat healthily thanks!

Here is my fool-proof ’spag bol’ recipe, let me know what you think of it. Just make sure you choose a healthier brown pasta, I don’t care what shape it is!

This will comfortably make enough for 2-4 people, depending on how hungry they are! If you need to stretch it further, add more tins of tomatoes, any suitable veggies lying around (courgettes/peas/sweetcorn/mange tout!) or a tin of kidney beans and you’ll get it to be enough for 6 adults. Sometimes I add fresh basil but don’t worry if you haven’t got any as I have a potted basil plant on my kitchen window sill.

Ingredients:

• 200g lean beef mince
• 1 onion
• tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 OXO cube
• Peppers x2 (red/yellow/green dependent on preference)
• 1 large carrot
• Basil
• Oregano
• 2-3 cloves of garlic (I’ve been known to put 5 cloves in as I LOVE garlic!)
• 2-3 tins of tomatoes
• 1 lime

Method:

1. Chop all of your veggies
2. Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are soft and clear
3. Add the mice to the onions and break the mince apart with a wooden spoon to brown
4. Crumble OXO cube over mince
5. On a high heat, (if you like softer vegetables) add peppers and carrots and keep it all moving until veggies are less crispy. If you like crunchy veggies like I do, add the tinned tomato first, stir it all up then add the veggies.
6. Add your herbs. Stir and simmer for 15-20 mins stirring occasionally.
7. Squeeze the juice of one lime in the bolognaise and stir.
8. Serve on top of brown pasta with four cherry tomatos cut in half for decoration with chopped fresh basil if you’ve got it lying around

Like my recipe or hate it? LET ME KNOW!!!