Spanish Spaghetti

Spaghetti, a household favourite dating back to the dinosaur ages ~ Im sure dinosaurs had spaghetti... everyone has spaghetti... its spaghetti! A wonderful family meal, quick and easy to prep, packed with many vitamins and essential nutrients, making it a great choice for that once a week tradition. If there are tomatoes and spice involved, Jack and Al are always game for a bowl, so I would consider spaghetti to be a staple in my house. The goal with any meal is to keep my toddler interested as well as encourage his eagerness to try new things, so its never just noodles and tomato sauce around here! Nay, nay there is an entire theme park my bowls! Which brings me to my new recipe, Spanish Spaghetti. Salsa, the Spanish word for "sauce", is what gives this dish a fresh face.

Spanish Spaghetti

You will need...

1/3 cup veggie broth

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 green chilli pepper, diced

1 green onion chopped

4-5 fresh chives chopped

1 teaspoon of onion powder or 1 small fresh onion chopped

1.5 cups portobello mushrooms, chopped

2 cups spinach, chopped

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp cumin

4 tablespoons fresh medium or hot salsa - 6 tablespoons for 2 people

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

4 oz tempeh, chopped into cubes - could also sub in tofu or beans

What you will need to do...

Prepare your noodles of choice once all your veg is prepped for cooking. I love the Explore Cuisine noodles made primarily of legumes. They are full of protein and fibre ~ I tend to stay away from standard white pasta noodles. Your can get them at Bulkbarn and Kardish. Unfortunately, I have not seen this brand sold in grocery stores yet.

In a skillet on low-medium heat, pour in the veggie broth then add the garlic, chilli pepper, onion, mushrooms, chives, green onion and tempeh. Stirring often until the onion is transparent and tempeh is getting a bit golden. Add in your chilli flakes and cumin as well as the chopped spinach. Stirring until the spinach is cooked. Add in the salsa, stir and take the skillet off the element and set aside ~ the salsa doesn't need to cook and will warm up nicely just sitting in the pan.

Plate your noodles, pour on the sauce and dust with nutritional yeast! Add any garnishes you like ~ you can be quite creative with these flavours. I used sprouted mung beans and sesame seeds. I also added some homemade guacamole in a couple of whole wheat Tostitos just as a side treat. Delish!

I hope you love sharing this meal untraditional, traditional meal with your family as much as I did!