This Quick “Spaghetti” Bolognese is so easy to make and absolutely delicious! All you need is a handful of wholesome ingredients like spaghetti squash, ground beef, tomato passata & garlic. It’s a hearty & quick week night or weekend meal. Gluten & grain free, low-carb and paleo.
One of the dishes I missed most after going gluten & grain free was a nice big bowl of spaghetti. It truly was a heartbreaking moment in my life and it took every ounce of willpower I had to turn down pasta of any kind – especially when Nonna had anything to do with it!
Life got a little easier when I wrapped my head around this thing called a “spaghetti squash” – and eventually I saw the light again once I mastered this pale yellow oval vegetable/fruit!
I’m no longer deprived of one of my favourite childhood dishes – and can eat a giant bowl of this “spaghetti” without feeling “heavy” or bloated. ‘Spaghetti Sunday’ is officially back!
Nutrition facts: Spaghetti squash vs. real spaghetti
Real spaghetti– 43 grams of carbs/cup & 220 calories/cup
Spaghetti squash is a great alternative if;
you want to lose weight (lower carbs & calories + more nutrients = weight loss)
you have IBS or gut issues (since gluten and grains can aggravate symptoms)
you have diabetes (lower carb foods = better blood sugar levels)
you’re following a paleo, keto or low-carb diet
Give this light, satisfying and delicious Quick “Spaghetti” Bolognese recipe a try. It’s a ‘kiss your finger tips then toss them away from your lips’ kind of dish!
This Quick "Spaghetti" Bolognese is so easy to make and absolutely delicious! All you need is a handful of wholesome ingredients like spaghetti squash, ground beef, tomato passata & garlic. It's a hearty & quick week night or weekend meal. Gluten & grain free, low-carb and paleo.
Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise and remove seeds with spoon.
Bake at 400 for 30-40 min (first 10-min bake with flesh down, then turn so skin is down for remaining time). Fork should pierce skin easily when squash is cooked. Note: Cooking time varies depending on the size of the squash. Check regularly to avoid overcooking the squash. You want the noodles to be ‘al dente’. Time your spaghetti squash so that it’s done cooking around the same time as your sauce, so your noodles don’t cool.
Use a fork to scrape out the strands of squash.
Quick Bolognese Sauce
In a sauce pan, briefly sauté garlic and dried basil in olive oil over medium heat. If you are using fresh basil, add basil leaves in after step 2.
Add tomatoes and bring to a light boil for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Bring to medium-low heat and let simmer for 20-minutes.
In a separate pan, cook ground beef over medium heat until lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add tomato sauce into pan with beef and let ingredients cook together over medium-low heat for a few minutes.
Place quick bolognese sauce on top of spaghetti squash and enjoy!
Keyword dairy free, gluten free, grain free, grass fed beef, healthy italian recipes, Italian recipes, spaghetti squash, tomato sauce
This Honey Lemon Ginger Jello is a great healthy snack with gut healing properties. It contains simple and powerful ingredients like gelatin, ginger, lemon & honey. Perfect for those following an AIP, paleo, keto or low-carb lifestyle!
Food and supplements have played an important role in my journey with IBS.
Over the years I have developed a solid list of ‘best foods/supplements for gut support’ that I incorporate into my diet regularly to maintain the health of my gut – and help heal it when needed – so it can function optimally.
Gelatin is on my list of ‘best foods/supplements for gut support’ and here’s why …
Gelatin can improve digestion by enhancing gastric acid secretion which is important in breaking down the food we consume. Without proper digestion, we cannot absorb all the important nutrients we get from food, which can lead to nutrient deficiency in the long term.
In addition, gelatin can help to repair the mucosal lining in the stomach which is often damaged in those suffering from IBS. A damaged gut lining can cause a long list of symptoms and inflammatory reactions.
Homemade jello is a fun and easy way to incorporate gelatin into your diet. Give this Honey Lemon Ginger Jello a try. It’s healthy jello for adults and kids!
This Honey Lemon Ginger Jello is a great healthy snack with gut healing properties. It contains simple and powerful ingredients like gelatin, ginger, lemon & honey. Perfect for those following an AIP, paleo, keto or low-carb lifestyle!
Sloppy Joes with Sweet Potato “Buns” is made with whole & simple ingredients and free of added sugars. It’s a healthy gluten & grain free + paleo friendly dish. This comfort food classic will definitely be a hit with the whole family!
Are you looking for a gluten free and gut friendly replacement for buns or bread?
Sweet potato “buns” to the rescue!
Not only are sweet potato “buns” tasty, but this whole food is packed with nutrients that you won’t get from plain old bread.
There are so many classic dishes and sandwiches that you can easily transform into a healthy and gut-friendly alternative with a little help from these “buns”.
Try sweet potato “buns” with:
Sloppy Joes (see recipe below)
Burgers and sliders
Bacon, egg, lettuce & tomato sandwich (BELT)
Tuna sandwich
Pulled pork sandwich
Cut sweet potato into rounds (like I did for this recipe) OR lengthwise for larger “buns” and cook using the instructions below. Fill your sweet potato “buns” with yummy ingredients and grab it with your hands or dig in with a fork and knife – whatever your heart desires.
Sloppy Joes with Sweet Potato "Buns" is made with whole & simple ingredients and free of added sugars. It's a healthy gluten & grain free + paleo friendly dish. This comfort food classic will definitely be a hit with the whole family.
Heat avocado oil in pan then add onion and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5-minutes or until onions become soft.
Add garlic and beef. Break a part beef and cook until beef is no longer pink.
In a separate bowl mix sauce ingredients together then add mixture to pan with beef. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Let cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. You can also lower the temperature and let cook for longer to get more flavour out of this dish.
Serve in-between sweet potato buns.
Sweet potato "buns"
Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch rounds with the peel intact.
Place sweet potato rounds in a single layer on baking sheet, brush both sides with oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Flip halfway through baking time.
Pumpkin & Beef Salad is the perfect go to dish during the busy work week! It’s super quick and simple to prepare, and loaded with heart healthy omega 3’s from grass-fed beef, antioxidants from dark leafy greens and fiber from pumpkin. These simple ingredients come together to make this salad absolutely delicious & extremely satisfying.
OK, so I’m only human which means there are many moments where the thought of spending an hour in the kitchen to prepare a healthy meal is just not appealing (especially after a long day of work).
Given that these moments happen quite often and I refuse to settle for low-quality food, I created a handful of go-to recipes that I can whip up in 20-minutes or less.
This Pumpkin & Beef Salad recipe is a heartier version of my Beef Salad and one of my go-to meals when lazy and hungry Jen strikes.
It also makes for a great post-workout meal since 1 cup of cooked pumpkin has 564 mg of the refueling nutrient potassium. Potassium helps to restore the body’s electrolytes after a heavy workout and keeps muscles functioning optimally.
Pumpkin & Beef Salad is the perfect go to dish during the busy work week! It’s super quick and simple to prepare, and loaded with heart healthy omega 3’s from grass-fed beef, antioxidants from dark leafy greens and fiber from pumpkin. These simple ingredients come together to make this salad absolutely delicious & extremely satisfying.
If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream then this smoothie recipe is for you! Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie is chocolatey, refreshing and delicious–and filled with all the right ingredients to make a healthy & complete meal. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
What makes Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie so healthy
The right balance of macronutrients including high-quality protein, which is often missing in most smoothie recipes. Protein is not only a source of vital nutrients required for optimal health, but it’s also essential for sending healthy hormonal signals throughout your body.
No excess fruit or juices, which keeps your blood sugar levels in check while still giving you small doses of powerful nutrients and fiber found in whole fruits.
Healthy fats for optimal health and a smaller waistline! Healthy dietary fat not only fuels every cell in your body, but also allows you to absorb fat-soluble vitamins found in fruits and vegetables.
Loaded with green goodness which provides antioxidants to combat free radicals & essential vitamins and minerals + supports detoxification, collagen production, gut health, weight loss, & disease prevention.
Gut friendly & healing ingredients that are FREE OF gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, grains, fillers, artificial flavours, colours, preservatives or sweeteners + other common gut irritants.
Feel free to use your favourite protein powder in this recipe or you can try my go-to protein powder. This awesome & gut friendly protein powder will make all your smoothies taste like dessert in a cup! It’s squeaky clean, free of common gut irritants & naturally sweetened with stevia (so no blood sugar spikes).
If you’re using vanilla flavoured protein powder
To achieve a rich chocolate flavour from your smoothies when using vanilla flavoured protein powder just add 1-2 teaspoons of cacao powder into your blender along with the other smoothie ingredients. Blend & enjoy!
Cacao is the purest form of chocolate which is why I recommend it. It’s an easy find since most grocery stores carry it nowadays. You can also find cacao powder online.
What you need for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie:
If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream then this smoothie recipe is for you! Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie is chocolatey, refreshing and delicious--and filled with all the right ingredients to make a healthy & complete meal. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
4-5fresh mint leaves , or 1 drop peppermint essential oil (food-grade) or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3/4cupfull fat or light coconut milk, canned
A few ice cubes, optional
1tbspcacao nibs, stirred in after blending
Instructions
Blend all ingredients using a high-powered blender.
Pour into your favourite smoothie cup, stir in cacao nibs and enjoy!
Notes
If you're using vanilla protein powder, add 2 tsp of cacao powder. If you’re using chocolate protein powder, add 1 tsp of cacao powder. Feel free to add more cacao powder for a smoothie that's rich in chocolate flavour.
Pumpkin Chili is a hearty, paleo friendly and low-carb chili with a unique combination of pumpkin, zucchini, warming spices and cocoa. Your palate will be pleasantly surprised at how well these flavours come together.
You have the option of using either beef or turkey in this recipe–both work really well. Also, feel free to swap out canned pumpkin for roasted pumpkin OR if you don’t have any pumpkin on hand, you can use butternut squash, acorn squash or another similar squash.
So, if you’re a fan of chili and looking for a new recipe to test out on a cold fall or winter day, I highly recommend giving this non-traditional chili a try!
Would love to hear your thoughts on this recipe if you test it out. Just leave a comment below 🙂
Pumpkin Chili is a hearty, paleo friendly and low-carb chili with a unique combination of pumpkin, zucchini, warming spices and cocoa. Your palate will be pleasantly surprised at how well these flavours come together. You have the option of using either beef or turkey in this recipe--both work really well.
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
