the treadmill diaries

Bolognese Sauce - Approx 125 cal / 4 oz

If you’re looking for a versatile red sauce that  can be the star of the simplest pasta dish or featured in a more complex italian meal, then look no further than this Bolognese Sauce.          

This deep red, tasty treat is packed with flavor that builds from a number of the key ingredients including aromatics (carrots, onions, celery), a good lean meat (like turkey or beef) and table wine.   With everything  piled in, you might expect that the end dish might be too sinful to eat – but good news – it’s not.           

This take on  Bolognese is the perfect addition to your italian recipe collection because:          

• it has many uses.  Go old school by topping your fav pasta with it or amp dishes up by including it in things like – Lasagna, Baked Ziti, Ravioli, or as the sauce for your Chicken/Beef Parmesan.
• it’s the sauce that keeps on giving.  Eat it the day it’s made, then freeze the rest for use at a later date.  You can’t beat the convenience of having it around for when you might need a quick meal in 10 minutes or less.  That’s all it takes to thaw in the microwave – and you can’t even tell it wasn’t made the same day.  It’s that good reheated.  This is a pretty cool way of keeping your family eating well when you don’t have time to cook a long meal.
• it’s low cal – believe it or not.  Made with a bunch of healthy ingredients – the end product tastes good and is good for you.  What more could you ask for?

The Nutritional Facts (estimated per 1/2 cup):           

• Servings ~ about 10-12
• Calories ~ 125
• Total Fat ~ 1.5g
• Fiber ~ 1g
• WW ~ 2 pts

The Ingredients:           

• one pound 96% extra lean, ground beef or extra lean turkey breast
• 1 carrot, very finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, very finely chopped
• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp extra virgin, olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (28 oz) cans of Crushed Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red wine
• salt, pepper to taste

Making Your Dish:           

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in sauce pan to medium – high heat
2. Add carrots, garlic, celery, onion & bay leaf.  Cook 5 min until softened
3. Add meat and brown until med – med well temperature
4. Salt & pepper to taste
5. Pour in wine, bring to boil.  Then reduce temp to medium.
6. Add tomatoes, continue cooking for at least 30 minutes
7. Can cook for several hours.  The longer, the better. 
8. Serve

When trying the Bolognese, remember to save your leftovers in an air-tight container in the freezer.   An upcoming post will feature a low-cal lasagna where this sauce will come in quite handy.  Mangia and enjoy.