(from the Good Food Diet)

Yes, you are absolutely right, Spaghetti Bolognese is not Greek - it is 100% pure Italian, hailing from the town of Bologna in northern Italy. But throwing in a touch of Greek makes this Bolognese sauce supremely full-bodied, filling and full of goodness. Boela says: "Enjoy this Mediterranean dish with a glass of spicy Shiraz."

Rosemary, also known as the herb of remembrance, features in this recipe. (Read more about rosemary and its symbolic roles after the recipe.) Give rosemary a prominent place on your menu and in the table decorations when next throwing a birthday bash, arranging a farewell party for a colleague, celebrating a special anniversary or when treating old friends around your table.

Greek Spaghetti Bolognese is:

• heart-friendly
• diabetic-friendly
• high in fibre
• gluten-free (serve on gluten-free pasta or brown rice)
• dairy-free (leave out the feta cheese) and
• egg-free (use egg-free pasta).

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive or sunflower oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
500 g lean beef mince
1 beef stock cube
250 ml (1 cup) water
350 g - 400 g punnet baby marrows, coarsely grated
1 x 400 g can tomato puree
1 x 70 g can tomato paste
1 x 400 g can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
10 ml (2 tsp) freshly crushed garlic
10 ml (2 tsp) paprika
10 ml (2 tsp) dried rosemary or dried thyme
5 ml (1 tsp) sugar
salt and milled black pepper to taste
cooked spaghetti to serve (or any other pasta, brown rice or couscous)
feta cheese, crumbled, to serve (optional)
sprigs of fresh rosemary to garnish (optional)


Step 1: Heat oil in a large pot. Sauté onion. Add mince and stock cube. Fry until meat is cooked, stirring often.
Step 2: Add water, baby marrows, tomato puree, tomato paste, red kidney beans, garlic, paprika, rosemary or thyme and sugar. Stir well. Simmer uncovered for 5 - 7 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and black pepper.
Step 3: Serve on spaghetti. Top with a little crumbled feta cheese. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a grind of black pepper. This Bolognese sauce freezes well. (Serves 6)


Rosemary for remembrance

This ancient, pungent herb, native to the coastal Mediterranean region, has always been known for its health properties, its culinary charms (especially with lamb) and its sacred and symbolic roles.

Traditionally, its big claim to fame was that it could stimulate and improve memory and it was therefore also strongly linked to remembrance. When taking exams, Greek scholars wore garlands into which rosemary was woven. At funerals, mourners dropped sprigs of rosemary into the grave as a symbol that the deceased would not be forgotten. Tudor brides’ wreaths had rosemary in, to remind the couple to never forget their vows. Throughout the centuries rosemary crops up in literature - probably its most famous lines appear in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where Ophelia says: "There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember..."

Several religious legends are woven around rosemary. One legend that is often told is of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who draped her blue cloak over a rosemary bush during the holy family’s flight to Egypt. All the plant’s flowers were transformed from white into blue. It is said that, since then, the plant was called Rose of Mary.

But often, truth is not nearly as strange as fiction. There is a very down to earth explanation for the origin of the name rosemary - its Latin name, rosmarinus, translates to 'dew' (ros) of the 'sea' (marinus), possibly because it grew wild along the Mediterranean coast. Ending on a story note: an ancient Spanish legend tells that weary sailors, finally returning home after being at sea for months on end, were revived when they smelt the strong, aromatic fragrance of rosemary from miles away.

GOOD FOOD DIET COOKING CLASSES!!

With Dalene's Good Food Diet recipes you can enjoy a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing the pleasures of delicious food. Perfect for those who want to control their health or dietary conditions such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, overweight, food allergies and intolerances.

Good Food Diet recipes are wellness recipes, developed for busy people on the go. They are quick, easy, foolproof… and scrumptious! Use them for your family's daily meals and for entertaining.

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