Slow Cooker Turkey Spaghetti over Zucchini Noodles

Making noodles out of fresh zucchini dramatically cuts down on the carbs and calories in your dinner, while increasing the fiber content. Imagine what an impact this simple food trick could have on your fitness results if you always chose zucchini noodles over traditional noodles.

What you need
Serves 6

1 Tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup chopped olives
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry red wine (Cabernet works well)
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon of sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
1 pound ground turkey
6 zucchinis
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Instructions

In a large skillet, place the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, and fennel. Cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the carrots, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Coat the inside of your slow cooker with olive oil. Add the cooked veggies, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, and the seasonings. Mix well.
Add the turkey on top of the veggie mixture, breaking it into chunks. Lightly press the turkey down into the sauce, but be careful not to break up the chunks.
Cook on low heat for 7 hours.
Wash the zucchini, use a vegetable peeler to create long, flat noodles. Stop when you get to the seedy middle part of the zucchini. Plate the zucchini noodles and top with warm turkey spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Nutrition
276 calories, 8g fat, 383mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 21g protein

Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce

Making a big pot of rustic spaghetti sauce is one of the most gratifying things you can do as a home cook. The welcoming aroma rising from the pot makes coming home a heartwarming experience.

To make this Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce as good-for-you as it is good-smelling, I’ve packed it with ground turkey, loads of chopped veggies and mouthwatering Italian flavors.

Serve it up over veggie noodles or braised cabbage for a fitness meal at its finest!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 16

Here’s what you need

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, minced
1 Fennel Bulb, minced
3 zucchini, diced
2 pounds Lean Ground Turkey
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Place an extra-large nonstick skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and warm for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, onion and fennel bulb. Sauté, mixing often, for 5 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the zucchini and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring and breaking the turkey apart with your spoon or spatula, until all the pink is gone. Drain the pan, then return to medium heat.
Add the crushed tomato, tomato paste, and tomato sauce to the pan and mix until well combined. Add the water, coconut sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Serve this hearty sauce warm over braised cabbage, veggie noodles, baked sweet potato or whatever else your heart desires. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 319 calories, 6g fat, 12g carbohydrate, 7g sugar, 451mg sodium, 4g fiber, and 56g protein.

Functional AgingSpecialists