Sunflower Seed Spaghetti Sauce
Make a Delicious Vegetarian Pasta Topping
Use sunflower seeds instead of hamburger in this recipe for tasty tomato sauce.
There’s nothing better than a plateful of noodles, topped with a mouthwatering and tangy tomato sauce. How can you cut out harmful fat and cholesterol while still enjoying spaghetti, a traditional dinnertime favorite?
Sunflower Seeds and Cholesterol
When seeking to reduce dietary fat and cholesterol, a diet that includes seeds is a step in the right direction. We all know that meat can be high in saturated fat and that animal products contain cholesterol. A heart-friendly eating plan includes cutting consumption of the wrong kinds of fats and reducing dietary cholesterol. One way to do this is to replace the meat in recipes with plant alternatives, which offer beneficial oils.
Sunflower seeds are a good source of polyunsaturated fat that is essential to good health. According to a study reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, sunflower seeds contain important plant compounds (sterols) that actually lower blood cholesterol levels.
Making Spaghetti Sauce Using Sunflower Seeds
You can still enjoy spaghetti, using this recipe for sunflower seed sauce. Replace hamburger by using unsalted, toasted sunflower seeds, which add goodness while imparting a delicious flavor. A meatless spaghetti sauce doesn’t necessarily mean a shortage of taste. Vegetarian pasta sauce is easy to make and, best of all, it is rich, thick, and satisfying.
Sunflower Seed Spaghetti Sauce
Use this vegetarian tomato sauce over spaghetti noodles and for other pasta dishes
Sunflower Seed Mixture:
- 1-2 cups of unsalted, toasted sunflower seeds.
- 1 onion, chopped
- Using a food processor, lightly chop sunflower seeds
- Combine chopped onion with seeds in a frying pan. Sautee in olive oil until onion is browned. Set aside.
Sauce Ingredients:
(#1)
- 1 14oz. can of tomato sauce
- 1 large can of diced tomatos
- 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic
- 4 tbsp. basil
- 1-2 tbsp. oregano
- 1 tbsp. marjoram
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. taco seasoning
- 3-6 drops of hot sauce
(#2)
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1/2 cup of sliced black olives
Directions:
- Combine first set of ingredients with seed mixture and cook for at least one hour on low heat setting. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Add the second set of ingredients (mushrooms and olives) 15 minutes before removing pasta sauce from stove.
Additional Ingredients
- Red Wine Add red wine (to taste) to spaghetti sauce prior to serving
- Parmesan If you like Parmesan but are worried about the fat, combine Parmesan with ground almonds, using half of each. The ground almonds will absorb the cheese flavor.
Sunflower seed spaghetti sauce will become a favorite noodle topping. You don't have to sacrifice flavor when you cut down on meat. You can prepare meals that are tempting to the palate, using healthful ingredients from nature.
