Spaghetti

       Spaghetti is a great go-to quick and easy dinner.  We pretty much always have whole wheat noodles and a couple jars of organic spaghetti sauce in the cupboard.  And if we really are dealt just a SUPER busy night with nothing prepped ahead of time, there’s no harm in just throwing the two together and calling it good. But I’m pretty sure we all know that’s not really my style.

       I honestly don’t think we’ve had spaghetti that was just noodles and sauce in years.  It can still be quick and easy: If I’m pressed for time, I’ll just throw in a can of beans and a bag of frozen spinach or other frozen veggies.  Boom, that’s it. Still quick and easy, but definitely a more nutritious, satisfying, and rounded out meal.

      And if I have a few minutes, I like to dice up an onion and a couple peppers and some basil from the garden and sauteé them for a few minutes before adding the sauce.  And I always like to throw in some leafy greens. The nutritional benefits of leafy greens (kale, spinach, collards, mustard or turnip greens, chard, . . .), are so amazing that I see no reason not to slip them in at every possible point.  Note: like onions and garlic, kale benefits from being allowed to sit for a few minutes after being chopped and before being heated.

      Just ten minutes of chopping for a drastic improvement in flavor, nutrition, and texture.  And if your kids don’t like chunky veggies in the sauce or bulk at the idea of greens in spaghetti, throw the veggies in the blender or ninja for a few seconds before stirring into the sauce. It really is just that easy.

      Last night we had spaghetti, not because we were particularly rushed, but because I was too lazy to invent something else (it’s rare, but it happens).  I added an onion and, from the garden, a red pepper, a green pepper, and some fresh basil. I also threw in a good about three cups of chopped Farmer’s Market kale.

       Lastly, I added some Boca fake meat crumbles. I don’t like cooking with fake meat, because it’s processed and sometimes has artificial colors, but MacGyver loves it once in a while and we happened to have some in the freezer. I’m also a big fan of Veggie Patch brand meatless balls (ok, they’re called meatless meatballs, but I call them meatless balls in hommage to La Vie Boheme from Rent).

       What is your favorite quick and easy dinner?
       Do you doctor your spaghetti?