Basic Spaghetti Sauce

Yields: 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (or lean ground turkey or chicken)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Combine ground beef, onion, garlic, and green pepper in a large saucepan. Cook and stir until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain grease.
2. Stir diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste into the pan.
3. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper (and/or other spices of your choice).
4. Simmer spaghetti sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Tip: Serve with whole wheat spaghetti noodles or spaghetti squash and a side salad