Tag Archives: vegetarian

Kay’s Bolognese Sauce – 20 Minute Meal

Kay's Bolognese SauceIn the time it takes you to boil your pasta of choice,
You can have our Family Favorite Bolognese Sauce to put on it –
Yes that is correct –
In less than 20 minutes Dinner Is Ready!

How this recipe was born

I’ve always “doctored” recipes, even before “Thrivealizing” recipes.  It always drove my friends nuts that it was hard to give them an actual recipe as I would throw in a little of this and a little of that.  Anyway, for years my husband was a “Ragu” man when it came to spaghetti saThrive Tomato Sauceuce — of course I doctored it up too, but the base had to be Ragu. Then last year Thrive introduced their new Sauce and Seasoning lines and a new sauce was born from the Thrive Tomato Sauce.  It started with the recipe that is printed on the can and I even Thrivealized that to make my own version.

A Different “Pasta” Variation

Norpor MandolineThere are many uses for this rich sauce and pasta isn’t the only thing you can put it on.  With summer coming on and my summer squash will be ready soon, I experimented with making zucchini and yellow squash pasta, using my mandoline.

What is a mandoline? Mine is a Norpro Deluxe Mandoline Slicer/Grater.  I originally got it so I could slice onions really thin to make my cousin’s french onion soup (another recipe, another post 🙂

Summer Squash PastaI made the first zucchini noodles a little bigger than I wanted for my “spaghetti” noodles so I just sautéed them in a little coconut oil, garlic and an Oriental Spice seasoning I had. That was my lunch and it was delicious.  I then put the correct attachment onto my mandoline and got the size “noodles” I wanted.  My summer squash “noodles looked like this: ————————————->

I blanched them in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then let them drain well while I made the sauce.

Now for the sauce.

Click here for the original Bolognese Sauce recipe that is on the can and was developed by Chef Todd at Thrive Life and here is my “Thrivealized” version that my family loves:

Kay’s Bolognese Sauce

FD – Freeze Dried
Thrive numbers are for Pantry size cans except for Seasonings

Kay's Bolognese Sauce NutritionIngredients:

1⁄2 cup Thrive FD Ground Beef (#22564)
1/2 cup Thrive FD Sausage Crumbles (#22568)
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional-my secret ingredient)
1/2 cup red wine (optional)**
2 Tablespoons Thrive Carrot Dices (#22221)
2 Tablespoons Thrive Mixed Bell Peppers (#22235)
1/4 cup Thrive FD Chopped Onions (#22227)
1/4 cup Thrive FD Celery (#22223)
1/4 cup Thrive FD Spinach (#22234)
2 Tablespoons Thrive Tomato Powder (#22237)
1/2 teaspoon Thrive Baking Soda (#22661)
2 tiny scoops Stevia or a little sweetener to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons Thrive FD Italian Seasoning Blend (#23627)
1⁄2 teaspoon Thrive Chef’s Choice Seasoning blend (#23628)
1⁄2 cup Thrive Tomato Sauce, (#22604), dry
4 cups water
Thrive FD Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (#22443), right out of the can as garnish if desired.

Instructions:

Measure out all ingredients. Reconstitute ground beef and sausage by soaking in ½ cup hot water about 5 minutes. Do not drain. Sauté garlic and fennel in butter until softened. Deglaze with red wine and reduce by half. Add carrots, mixed peppers, onions, celery, and meat and reduce until syrupy. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer on low for 8–10 minutes. Serve over pasta or veggie “pasta”. Garnish with Thrive Mozzarella Cheese right out of the can. Serves 8

**Click here for Alcohol Free Cooking Tips Blog Post

Cost for Thrive Products in this Bolognese Sauce

Cost for Thrive Products in this Bolognese Sauce

This recipe is GLUTEN FREE
if you use the Summer Squash Pasta.

Summer Squash Pasta

Summer Squash Pasta

Summer Squash Pasta Nutrition

Summer Squash Pasta Nutrition

OR
TRY ONE OF OUR THRIVE PASTAS

Rainbow Farfalle Pasta

RAINBOW FARFALLE PASTA (#22138)
Kid’s love this one!

Rainbow Pasta Nutrition

Rainbow Farfalle Pasta Nutriton

Whole Grain Penne Pasta
Whole Grain Penne Pasta (#22137)
A healthier alternative!

WG Penne Pasta

Whole Grain Penne Pasta Nutrition

Make it Vegetarian –

Just leave out the meat and the cheese garnish (if desired) and you still have a wonderful sauce over squash “pasta.”

Click here to download Kay’s Bolognese Sauce Recipe

Cucumber Salsa – Garden Harvest Enhanced with Thrive

Cucumber SalsaCucumber Salsa

I’m starting to harvest from my small garden – How about you? We’ve got cucumbers, tomatoes, squash and raspberries all coming on. Here’s a recipe for Cucumber Salsa that combines the bounty from my garden with nutritious Thrive food, saving me time and money. This can be eaten as a snack or appetizer with chips, crackers, etc. or used as a side salad.

My Garden Harvest

My Garden Harvest

Cucumber Salsa

FD – Freeze Dried
Thrive Product Numbers are for Pantry Cans except for Seasonings

Cucumber Salsa NutritionSalsa Ingredients:
2 cups Cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup Thrive FD Tomato Dices (#22241) (or fresh from your garden if you have them)
1/4 cup Thrive FD Onion (#22227)
1/4 cup Thrive FD Green Chili Peppers (#22242)
1 Tablespoon Thrive FD Parsley (#23621)
1 Tablespoon chopped Jalapeno Pepper or 1 fresh pepper chopped
2 teaspoons Thrive FD Cilantro (#23622)
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup Thrive Sour Cream (#22449), reconstituted
1/4 teaspoon Thrive Lemonade Crystals (22899) (or 1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice)
1 1/2 teaspoons Lime Juice
1 mini scoop Stevia Powder, sweeten to taste
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Thrive Chef’s Choice Seasoning Blend (#23628)
1/2 teaspoon Dill Weed, optional

Cucumber SalsaDirections:

Mix salsa ingredients in a mixing bowl. (Thrive ingredients are right out of the can – they will reconstitute when mixed with the dressing.). Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over vegetable mixture and gently combine, making sure all veggies are coated. Let it sit for 10 minutes or more for FD vegetables to reconstitute and flavors to blend.

Can be served with chips, crackers or as a side salad. Serves 8

Here’s what the Thrive products would cost (with Q Pricing***) per recipe or serving:

Cucumber Salsa Thrive CostsDuring the summer when you can use “fresh” tomatoes out of your garden the Thrive cost would be even cheaper:

Pantry Can Recipe Cost – $3.04 / Cost per serving – $0.38
#10 Can Recipe Cost – $2.64 / Cost per serving – #0.33

***Click here to find out about The Monthly Q

Click here to download Cucumber Salsa Recipe