Food Hospital - Low GI Spaghetti Bolognese

[herbsandhelpers]

Low GI Spaghetti Bolognese

This recipe is ideal for those trying to avoid high GI foods which release sugar into the blood stream too quickly.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive or rapeseed oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red pepper, deseeded and diced

1 small courgette, diced

6 button mushrooms, roughly chopped

300g minced lean beef

1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato purée

1 teaspoon chilli powder or flakes

150ml low sodium beef or vegetable stock

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 × 300g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 × 400g tin lentils, drained and rinsed

20g bunch basil, leaves picked and roughly torn

Wholegrain spaghetti

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish then add the onions and cook over a medium to low heat, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until soft and sweet.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped red pepper, courgette and mushrooms and turn the heat up a little, cook for 5 minutes until the veg has softened.

Add the beef mince to the pan, crumbling it up with your hands, fry over a high heat for 5 minutes until the meat is browned, add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, chilli and stock, season well with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer and simmer with a lid on but ajar for 45 minutes until the sauce has reduced to a thick silky consistency.

Add the kidney beans and lentils to the pan and simmer for a further 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil leaves. Serve with wholegrain spaghetti and a good grating of parmesan.

For more low GI recipes featuring beans, visit the 4Food site