Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce Makes: 8 servings, 1 cup pasta & generous 3/4 cup sauce each Active time: 30 minutes Total: 30 minutes To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Heart Health Diabetes Weight Loss Gluten Free Instead of opening a jar of sauce, try this easy spaghetti with meat sauce on a weeknight. Serve with steamed broccoli and garlic bread. The recipe makes enough for 8 servings. If you’re serving only four for dinner, cook 8 ounces of spaghetti and freeze the leftover sauce. 1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 pound lean (90% or leaner) ground beef 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain. 2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. 3. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase heat to high. Stir in tomatoes and cook until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt. 4. Serve the sauce over the pasta, sprinkled with cheese.

Per serving: 384 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 48 mg cholesterol; 52 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 28 g protein; 10 g fiber; 416 mg sodium; 655 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (49% daily value), Zinc (34% dv), Iron (26% dv), Vitamin C (23% dv), Magnesium (21% dv), Potassium (19% dv). Carbohydrate Servings: 3 Exchanges: 3 starch, 11/2 vegetable, 2 lean meat