Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Revised Standard Version

My dog and I are both staying away from corn and wheat in our diets - except that he and I both indulged in a few jelly beans tonight. Sigh. However, having switched to this new way of eating, except for the jelly beans part, it means altering a lot of recipes that used to be standard fare around here - well, for me anyway. The dogs still eat dog food, though now it's wheat- and corn-free.

Here's one example. First, my OLD Recipe for Spaghetti and Meat Sauce:

Brown 2# hamburger (Are you kidding?? When did I ever use that much meat in a recipe!) along with 1 chopt onion and 1/2 chopt green pepper.
Stirfry until meat is browned and veggies are tender.
Add 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
Add 1 pkg. beef flavored mushroom soup mix (No wonder I had headaches!)
1/2 t. garlic salt
1 t. bay leaves, crushed
1 t. oregano leaves
1 T. brown sugar.

S&P to taste, although the soup mix has so much salt you won't need much.
1/2 can black olives, drained and sliced.
Simmer a couple hours. Serve over your usual cooked wheat spaghetti.

Newer, more healthful version (mostly because I eliminated the poison soup mix), and if you don't believe me, just turn the box over and read that HUGE list of ingredients! Isn't that scary!

Now, my NEW Spaghetti and Meat Sauce: (Know what? that old spaghetti and meat sauce used to sit in my stomach like a rock! The newer version doesn't do that.)

Brown 1# ground turkey (OKay, you're already saying 'YUK,' but if you brown the turkey very well, until part of it is crispy, that helps a lot) along with 1 clove garlic, diced, 1 chopt onion, 1/2 chopt red bell pepper, 1/2 chopt green pepper, and 1/2 diced jalapeno pepper.

Stirfry until turkey is browned and veggies are tender.
Add 1 large can of tomatoes, broken up and partially drained
You can also add a can of tomato sauce if it's only tomatoes and it doesn't have any other junk in it. Read the ingredients list!
1 can (or fresh) mushrooms, sliced.
1 t. oregano leaves
1 t. basil
1 t. brown sugar

a little cayenne

S&P to taste
1/2 can black olives, drained and sliced (only 1/2 can because by now the other half has already been eaten while preparing the spaghetti sauce!)

Simmer til flavors blend. Serve over cooked Tinkyada Brown Rice Spaghetti. Set the timer for 10 minutes after you drop the spaghetti into the boiling water. Check it after 9 minutes and thereafter until it's the texture you like. DON'T overcook.

I should get paid a commission on all the times I've promoted Tinkyada products. Their gluten-free pasta is superb, holds its shape, doesn't become mushy, etc. I use only Tinkyada. I've tried a couple of the other gluten-free brands and they're horrid, in me 'umble opinion. I see no need to try any others.

Sprinkle grated Parmesean cheese over top.

My newer version has the added benefit that you're not stuffed when you finish eating it, so there's always room for jelly beans. :-) HA! I've gotta stay away from those things!

Do you have a healthful main dish recipe you'd like to share? Feel free to leave it as a comment! Thanks. :-)

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