Easy and Micronutrient Dense Spaghetti Sauce

I absolutely love the versatility of spaghetti sauce. It’s so easy to put over pasta, zucchini noodles (or any veggie noodle), or spaghetti squash! This recipe is so easy to make in bulk for dinners/lunches for the week for an easy and quick meal prep. I have pretty long days so being able to come home to dinner already made is awesome.

The best part about this recipe is that it is PACKED with micronutrients. While hitting our macronutrients is very important, making sure we are fueling our bodies with micronutrient dense foods is key. YES you can hit your macronutrient targets by eating donuts, and peanut butter but making sure that at least 80% of your food comes from whole foods is integral to your long-term success. Some of the key micronutrients in this recipe are Iron and Potassium which most people are deficient in! Here’s a little break down of why each of these are critical for our overall health!

Iron:

Iron helps transport oxygen throughout the body. The substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body is called hemoglobin, and hemoglobin consists of approximately two thirds of the iron in the body. If there is not enough iron, the body struggles to effectively transport oxygen leaving you feeling fatigued, both physically and mentally.

Keeping red blood cells healthy is only part of what iron does; it also plays a role in converting blood sugar to energy, allowing muscles to work optimally and reduce recovery times after intense exercise.

Iron is important in producing new and healthy cells, keeping hair, skin and nails healthy, as well as helping the immune system fight off infection.

Potassium:

As an electrolyte, potassium is vital to the healthy functioning of all of your body’s cells, tissues and organs. It also helps to control the amount of water in your body and maintain a healthy blood pH level. A balance of sodium and potassium is important for your body’s electrolyte functions. As your body works hard to maintain this balance, you can reduce the impact of a high sodium intake by consuming more potassium. Because of sodium’s impact on your blood pressure, a boost in your daily potassium intake can help you to maintain a healthy blood pressure or lower it to healthy levels.

Potassium is particularly important for the ability of your skeletal and smooth muscles to contract. Because of this, an adequate intake of potassium is important for regular digestive and muscular functioning. Potassium is also vital to the health of your heart, as a normal heart rhythm arises from optimal muscular functioning.

Recipe for 4 Servings:

Macros per serving: 28C/6.5F/34P

1 lb 96/4 ground beef
708 grams (25 ounces) of baby bella mushrooms
14 grams fresh basil
411 grams (15 ounce can) Hunt’s Tomato Sauce
336 grams (12 ounce can) Contadina Tomato Paste w/ Italian Herbs
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon curry
1/8 teaspoon tumeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (if you like it spicy)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Steps:

Spray a large pan (I use a large wok) with cooking spray and add the mushrooms. Heat the mushrooms on medium/high heat and cover. Allow them to reduce slightly.

Add all the dry seasonings once mushrooms have reduced and are soft. Mix the mushrooms around.

Add beef to seasoned mushrooms and break up.

As the beef and mushrooms are cooking, weigh out your tomato sauce/paste. While it comes in a weighed can I’ve found variability every time I use it. When in doubt, always weigh it!