Beef & lentil bolognese for two
.webp?language=en)
Easy, nutritious and delicious, this beef, lentil and mushroom blended sauce has everything you need to feel satisfied. Protein, high-fibre lentils and vegetables makes it a winning combination.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) red chili flakes (optional)
- ½ lb./227 g extra-lean ground beef
- ½ cup (125 mL) diced onion
- ½ cup (125 mL) diced carrot
- ½ cup (125 mL) finely chopped mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) each salt and pepper
- ½ cup (125 mL) cooked lentils (can be canned variety that is drained and rinsed)
- 1 ½ cups (325 mL) diced or crushed tomatoes + ½ cup (125 mL) water
- ½ tsp (2.5 mL) dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar (optional)
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) torn fresh basil
- 90 g spaghetti (about ⅕ of 454 g package)
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, add oil, chili flakes and ground beef to a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon. Add onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 5 to 8 minutes until beef is cooked through.
Add lentils, tomatoes, water, oregano, and balsamic vinegar if using. Mix well; partially cover and increase heat to bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer while pasta cooks.
Add pasta to boiling water. Cook for 1 minute less than the cook time stated on the package. This is known as ‘al dente’ (see Tips below).
When pasta is almost cooked, add fresh basil to sauce and set aside. Drain noodles and mix with sauce.
Portion into two bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and more fresh basil if desired.
Tips
- Blood sugar management: Adding lentils, which are high in fibre and provide protein to a dish like pasta, helps to reduce the blood sugar response after the meal. You can also try this with rice and other grain dishes, too. Cooking pasta ‘al dente’ also slows the rate of digestion and helps reduce the blood sugar response.
- Nutrition know-how: A pasta dinner can fit into a healthy eating pattern for those living with diabetes. The trick is to watch your portions and balance the foods within the meal. The combination of protein from the beef, lentils and cheese, and fibre from the lentils and vegetables helps to slow the digestion of the overall meal, slowing the impact the carbohydrate (pasta) has on your blood sugar.
- Pasta choices: There are many pasta types available now. You can choose regular, whole wheat, high protein (often made with added legumes) and added fibre. All are good options if they are paired with protein and fibre-containing foods, and you watch portion size.
| Amount | % Daily Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories 550 | |||
| Fat 17 g | 23 % | ||
| Saturated Fat 5 g + Trans Fat 0.3 g | 27 % | ||
| Cholesterol 65 mg | |||
| Sodium 620 mg | 27 % | ||
| Carbohydrate 60 g | |||
| Fibre 10 g | 36 % | ||
| Sugars 10 g | 10 % | ||
| Protein 39 g | |||