Most adults today grew up with spaghetti bolognaise as a childhood favourite meal, and whilst potentially a nutritious meal (if you use grass fed & finished, ethically raised beef, organic produce & gluten free pasta), we have long enjoyed the vegetarian or vegan version of this -although we now sometimes adding a little chicken broth to enrich it and boost our gut health, joint health & immunity. Either way this is a great dish to boost vegetable & legume intake particularly for children and older fussy eaters! I’ve included a pressure cooker option to reduce lectin intake if you are sensitive.
INGREDIENTS
Gluten Free, Vegan option
We use all organic or biodynamic ingredients
Serves 4-6
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled & finely diced
- 1 brown onion, peeled & finely diced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 medium zucchini, grated
- 2 cups finely chopped button, field or mixed mushrooms
- 1 stick celery, finely sliced
- 1 cup vegetable stock (or chicken or beef bone broth)
- 1 ½ cups soaked & cooked green or puy lentils (or 1 can brown lentils, drained & rinsed)
- 1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes (or 1 can)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Fresh herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano) chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
TO MAKE
- Heat garlic & onion in olive oil in large saucepan, over gentle heat, until soft.
- Add mushrooms, carrot & zucchini and cook for further 2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and cook covered for approximately 20 -30 minutes or until vegetables are all soft. Stir regularly.
- If desired blend roughly in food processor or with stick blender until chunky.
OPTION
- If you are aiming to reduce your lectin intake this dish can be cooked in a pressure cooker using raw lentils. Begin with the first 2 steps, then add the remaining ingredients including raw green or puy lentils, 1 ½ cups of filtered water and double the tomatoes. Pressure cook for 20 minutes.
TO SERVE
- Serve hot over your favourite pasta (we use gluten free brown rice & buckwheat spaghetti) or to top oven baked sweet potato halves.
