Veggie-Loaded Meat Sauce (Gluten-free, Paleo, Kid-friendly)

This Loaded Veggie Meat Sauce is the R E A L + D E A L, you guys!

I can’t even explain to you how it has changed my life. It is so delicious and so ridiculously loaded with nutrition that you will be wanting to keep it in the meal rotation for every week. The greatest part is your kids wont even think anything differently about it, they will just see noodles and sing a shout of praise.

No, I’m not saying you should necessarily hide whats in the sauce from them. Actually, I feel quite the opposite. Sneaking veggies into foods without your kids’ knowledge has been known to only further distrust and anxiety around the dinner table with picky eaters. I’m just saying that they won’t be able to really taste the difference and sooner or later this will just be what comes to mind when they think of spaghetti.

My kids sometimes like to help me throw the veggies into the food processor and watch them be ground up for going into the sauce. Cooking with kids prepares them for the smells and sights of the meal to come.

If only it was easy and mess free!

Okay, back to the awesome sauce. So I call this Loaded Veggie Meat Sauce because it is literally LOADED with veggies. S I X veggies and T W O powerful superfoods! It has onions, garlic, kale, celery, carrots and tomatoes. It also includes fresh basil and turmeric, both potent super foods packed with nutritional value. It is also packed with iron and tons of healthy fats.

You may be thinking, great for you, but my kids would NEVER EAT THAT! Here’s why I think you should at least try:

• The veggies are all tender and ground up into tiny pieces which is usually a win for picky eaters

• The noodles (and optional Parmesan cheese) is placed strategically on top to lure them into the plate (kids are typically very visual beings and if they spy their favorites on top, they’re more likely to try it)

• Um, did I mention NOODLES?!

Ok enough yapping, here’s how to make it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large yellow onion

• 4 cloves garlic

• 4 carrots

• 10 leafs of lacianato kale (stems removed)

• 4-5 stems of celery

• 1 root fresh turmeric (skin removed)

• handful of fresh basil, chopped

• 1 lb grass-fed ground beef

• 2 tablespoons ghee

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• a drizzle of EVOO

• 1 24 oz jar of organic tomato sauce + 1/3 of another 24 oz jar

• 3 tsp himalayan sea salt

• 3 tsp onion powder

• 1-2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp powdered turmeric (optional)

• 1 tsp paprika

• black pepper to taste
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse and dry all the veggies.

2. Add the onion and garlic to the food processor and process until finely minced. Meanwhile, heat the ghee and coconut oil mixed in a large pot over medium heat.

3. Add the minced onions and garlic to the oils and let cook for a minute or too until soft while you puree the other veggies.

4. Add the carrots to the food processor and finely mince. Add to the pot and mix into the onion mix.

5. Do the same with the kale, celery and turmeric root and add the minced veggies into the pot and stir.

6. Drizzle a few drizzles of EVOO over the top of the veggies and cook on medium low heat for about 5-6 minutes until they begin to soften.

7. Add the spices and salt and pepper.

8. Add the ground beef and chop it with a spatula while it browns. Stir it in well and make sure to break up any large chunks. Cook the beef and veggies together for about 7 minutes or until meat is almost all browned.

9. Add the tomato sauce. Turn the heat back to about medium heat or until it simmers and leave it this way for about 5 minutes.

10. After 5 minutes of simmering, turn the heat down to low and cover to simmer for 30 minutes. When its finished, throw in the fresh basil while its still hot and stir in to combine.

11. Serve this meat sauce over gluten-free quinoa spaghetti noodles or plain quinoa. Make sure to place a few noodles on top (and maybe even a little Parmesan cheese) for all those visual picky eaters.

Enjoy!