Protein, vitamin C, B vitamins, and folate boost your baby’s cell, brain, and nervous system development, and fiber maintains your healthy digestive tract.
SERVES 8
SPAGHETTI with meat sauce is always a crowd-pleaser. Feel free to add your favorite sauce ingredients and omit any of the items that your children or others might not like, such as the mushrooms, red bell peppers, or fresh herbs. Top your spaghetti with lots of Parmesan cheese, for calcium. And if you’re pressed for time, you can use jarred pasta sauce. The meat sauce keeps for three days refrigerated, and it can be frozen for up to one month.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup whole milk
8 ounces mushrooms (any kind), stems trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into small dice
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 ounces whole wheat spaghetti or your favorite pasta, cooked according to the package directions
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, parsley, or dill, for garnish
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
• Prepare the sauce: In a large, heavy-bottomed nonreactive saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and Italian seasoning and sauté for 1 minute longer.
• Crumble the ground beef into the saucepan and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up any large lumps of meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the milk, mushrooms, and bell pepper and simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes longer, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. (Cook the pasta while the sauce is simmering.) Adjust the seasoning, add the basil, and serve over the spaghetti. Pass the cheese at the table.
One eighth of the sauce and whole wheat pasta (without garnishes): Calories: 350 cals; Protein: 23 g; Carbohydrates: 50 g; Fat: 8 g; Fiber: 7 g; Sodium: 275 mg; Vitamin C: 22 mg; B6: 0.6 mg; B12: 1 mcg; Niacin: 13 mg; Riboflavin: 0.4 mg; Thiamine: 0.3 mg; Copper: 0.5 mg; Magnesium: 104 mg; Manganese: 2 mg; Phosphorus: 380 mg; Zinc: 5 mg; 4 CARBS