Weight Watchers Spaghetti Bolognese
This recipe has been featured in a post on The Recipe Girl blog: Healthy Recipes to Share. This recipe is gluten-free adaptable- see tips below.

Weight Watchers Spaghetti Bolognese
Yield: 4 servings (1 cup pasta and 3/4 cup sauce)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
I found myself thinking about dinner one day when I discovered that it was National Spaghetti Day! Since I was watching my calories, I took a look around on the internet and found this fabulous recipe for Spaghetti Bolognese.
Ingredients:
3/4 pound lean ground beef (5% or less fat)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 large carrot, chopped (no need to peel)
3 cups fresh mushrooms, chopped
One (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 pound dry whole wheat spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
fresh basil for garnish, optionalDirections:
1. Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and add beef; cook, stirring frequently until browned (5 minutes or so).
2. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 minutes). Stir in carrot and cook about 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and oregano; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and continue to cook- covered- for 10 minutes. Add milk and cook- uncovered- until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Divide cooked spaghetti among 4 bowls and top with the sauce. Garnish with fresh basil, if using
Tips:
*If you're preparing this recipe as GLUTEN FREE, use your favorite gluten free pasta in place of the whole wheat spaghetti.
*I made this recipe as directed, but when I make it again I think I'm going to give the chopped tomatoes a whirl in my food processor before adding it to the pan. It's a little chunky as the recipe is written, and I think pureeing the tomatoes would give it more of a sauce consistency.
*The sauce freezes perfectly. Divide it into into individual servings and de-frost when you have a busy night and don't feel like cooking!
*I have a son who absolutely hates mushrooms. I used small portabello mushroom caps for this recipe and chopped them finely. They're a very "meaty" mushroom and they cooked up well with the meat in the recipe. My son was not able to detect the mushrooms :)Nutritional Information: calories 370, fat 8.5g (sat 2.3g), cholesterol 49.1mg, sodium 575.9mg, carbohydrates 53.9g, fiber 9gm, protein 28gWW POINTS per serving of 1 cup pasta & 3/4 cup sauce:
Points Plus Program 10 Old Weight Watchers Program 7Source: RecipeGirl.com (Adapted slightly from Weight Watchers Turnaround Program Cookbook)


I'm Lori Lange, recipe developer, food writer and Mom. I'm sharing over 2,600 of my favorite recipes and theme menus with you. 
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Courtney — January 8, 2011 @ 3:06 PM
Love that this can be frozen. Will be perfect for when I work late nights!
Stephanie — January 13, 2011 @ 2:20 PM
Trying this tonight. Can’t wait!