Lentil Bolognese Sauce

You know I like to cook with lower fat  for a healthier diet. Today I’m offering a vegetarian Bolognese sauce when you sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on it. If you need a vegan version, drop the cheese. Bolognese sauce is traditionally a meat sauce with tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Today’s pantry recipe replaces the meat with lentils and mushrooms. It requires lentils, mushrooms, herbs, and crushed tomatoes to make a go-to-sauce for pasta, stuffed peppers, and even lasagna.  Add a little dry red wine (or white) to the simmering sauce; the alcohol will burn off. Wine adds another note of deeper, richer flavor. This is a great inexpensive week night meal that’s ready in less than 50 minutes.

Broader pastas have been used in Italy with Bolognese sauce, but you can use the pasta of your choice. Use whole wheat pasta, gluten-free pasta, or even zucchini spirals or spaghetti squash. Feel free to adapt the recipe to meet your family’s taste. 

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Pork Chops in Garlic Mushroom Sauce

This is a tasty entree that is a 30-minute meal and fancy enough for company. The mushroom sauce is wonderful not only for the pork but also for your side dish. Mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta would work well with it. You can use bone-in or boneless pork chops. I personally prefer bone-in as I think they have more flavor. Make sure to adjust cooking times based on the thickness of your pork chops. Bone-in will also take a bit longer to cook. Using a digital thermometer, the internal temperature should be 145F.

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