Spaghetti Bolognaise and hidden treasure

Today is the last day of my long weekend - Apart from washing, ironing and feeding Cara, I plan to do some baking - with some hidden ingredients ..

I'm going to try making Chocolate Zucchini Muffins - if they are any good I'll post the recipe I found on the Best Recipes website.. along with some pics too.

I have a very fussy eater (textures were sometimes an area of concern, this worked hand in hand with him having Aspergers and an a speech delay).. getting him to eat vegetables is still sometimes an issue.

I was inpsired to hide more fruit & veg in my cooking by a book called Deceptively Delicious. It's written by Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry's wife!). She purees a number of fruit/veg and adds it to her cooking. I still have not actually made any of the recipes from the book but it gave me a place to start. She is uber organised and freezes heaps of purees.. too much work for this busy little bee... I've found a happier medium for now - using my food processor.

As a start I whizzed carrot, zucchini and onion together until it was almost minced and added it to my spaghetti bolognaise sauce. At tea time I sat and watched Master D and his Dad eat it up without any issue. Hubby saw me cooking with it, unfortunately, but he still ate it without fanfare - yay! Next time I will include capsicum in the mix! I'm pretty sure Jamie Oliver makes a pasta sauce with five veges, I have been meaning to look it up for ages.. I did have plans to do so when I had a bumper tomato crop to make my own pasta sauce, alas, it was not to be.. next crop I hope!

This recipe serves about four, more if you bulk it out with pasta... I cook my pasta in the microwave - it takes about 12-15 minutes and I put it on when the sauce starts the simmer stage.

Spaghetti Bolognaise

1 brown onion
1 carrot
1 zucchini
2 heaped teaspoons minced garlic
500g beef mince
1 tin of condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup red wine or beef stock
tablespoon of brown sugar
sprinkle of mixed herbs
4-5 cups cooked pasta shapes (spirals or penne are my favourites)

1. Heat some olive oil in a large frypan to a med-high heat.
2. Whizz carrot, zucchini and onion in food processor (alternatively you can grate it).
3. Add garlic and veges to frypan and cook to your own preference.
4. Add mince, brown and stir to mix veges through.
5. Add tomato soup, red wine, brown sugar and herbs.
6. Allow sauce to boil then reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes or so.
7. Mix cooked pasta and sauce together, serve in pasta bowls and top with grated parmesan.

Spag Bol is one of my all time faves, I also hide this vege mix in meatloaf too. I am still perfecting the meatloaf recipe, will post when it's right.

TGBTG

Anje xx