A recipe for a protein and veggie-packed bolognese without any meat or dairy. Use whatever veggies you have on hand and don't get overly concerned with quantities. This is a simple, rustic and delicious dish.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions and carrot. Sweat the onions and carrot for a couple minutes until onions are translucent.
Add the minced garlic, bell pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Cooking, stirring occasionally for a couple minutes.
Add the fresh thyme leaves, salt, pepper, tomato paste and coconut sugar. Cook, stirring for about two minutes.
Add the red wine and stir, being sure to scrape up all the flavour from the bottom of the pan.
Add the vegetable stock and diced tomatoes and bring the mixture just to a boil.
Reduce heat immediately to a simmer and let the sauce simmer for at least half an hour until flavours have melded and sauce is rich and thickened.
Just before serving, add the frozen corn, peas, fresh spinach and veggie mince of your choice. Stir together until evenly distributed and spinach has wilted.
When the sauce is almost ready, prepare your pasta according to package directions.
Add the pasta to the sauce and toss together***
*Use whatever red wine you have on a hand- I like to use a 1/4 cup or so. If you don't have any (get it together!) you can add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
**There are amazing gluten-free pastas on the market now if you need to eat gluten-free. I actually used gluten-free fusilli in this particular case.
***I like to reserve about a cup of the starchy pasta water and add it to the finished pasta and pasta sauce mixture. It helps the sauce stick to the pasta and binds them together in a LOVELY UNION OF PASTA AND BOLOGNESE THAT WILL BRING A TEAR TO YOUR EYE!