Spaghetti -- only healthier

I have yet to meet someone who does not like spaghetti. The truly amazing part about it (to me) is that it is always better the second day. Kinda crazy, but totally true. However, traditional spaghetti gets a well-deserved bad rap for being carb-loaded and not the greatest for you. But there is a way to make it more nutritious, taste great, and make all the calories count in a nutritious way.

Spaghetti - only healthier

I start by browning 1 lb. turkey sausage in a pan. I like to use turkey sausage because the seasonings add flavor and the meat is cheaper than the 97% lean ground beef.

Next I warm up pre-made spaghetti sauce. Here is the important part about the sauce - READ THE LABEL BEFORE YOU BUY IT!! Select a sauce with the fewest ingredients and look for one that does NOT contain sugar. This is possible and tastes so much better.

I then add a small can of PURE pumpkin to the sauce. Make sure it's not pie filling. This is a sneaky way I add nutrition and fiber to my hubby's diet and he doesn't know it. :-)

From there, I adjust the spices to taste. Usually, italian seasoning and sometimes a can of tomato paste.

Then I add the browned meat and let simmer while I cook the noodles.

For the noodles - make sure to use WHOLE WHEAT noodles. If you just can't bring yourself to do it, there is a type of white noodles that are similar in nutritional content. Only use these as a second resort. Cook the noodles and then serve.

For sides, I typically will pair it with steamed green beans and caesar salad with LIGHT dressing. I've never understood serving bread with pasta. Carbs, carbs, and more carbs.

Carbs aren't all bad as long as they are paired with nutrition. It's the empty carbs and calories (white bread/pasta, soda, potato chips, etc.) that are turned directly into sugar and are stored as fat. But if you make spaghetti this way, you are getting a ton of nutritional bang for your caloric buck.

What are some things you do to make recipes even more healthy?