Healthy

Healthy Approach

BY MARIE GONZALEZ

What’s more comforting than a bowl of freshly cooked spaghetti topped with a luscious mushroom tomato sauce? This is my go-to recipe when I want a pasta dish that’s filling and flavorful. Most pasta dishes in restaurants either rely on too much oil or don’t add enough mushrooms. I say make it from scratch without skimping on ingredients and flavor!

The sauce is a play on the classic bolognese, but with mushrooms subbing in for the ground meat. The carrots, celery, and herbs infuse the sauce with deep savory flavors and the mushrooms (I use reconstituted dried shiitake which is easy to find and is more affordable than fresh) add bite and heft. It’s absolute comfort in every bowl—it’s one of my rainy-day favorites!

Another great thing about this sauce is that it tastes even better the next day. Freeze any leftover sauce for future flavor-packed meals.

About the columnist

Marie Gonzalez is the mastermind behind Kitchen Revolution, an Alabang-based gourmet food company that specializes in holistic, plant-based cooking classes, workshops, and lectures. She is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and has completed Cornell University’s Plant-based Nutrition program. Marie is passionate about good food that tastes amazing, nourishes the body, and is gentle on the earth. To learn more about Marie, head on to www. kitchenrevolution.ph.

MUSHROOM RAGU SPAGHETTI

Serves 8 to 10 Prep Time 20 minutes, plus soaking time Cooking Time 40 minutes

3 cups dried shiitake mushrooms (about 100 grams) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup diced red onions 1 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced celery 11/2 teaspoons dried thyme 11/2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 bay leaves salt, pepper, and sugar, to taste 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 (800-gram) can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh basil, minced, plus more for garnish 750 grams malunggay or whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked according to package directions 1 Place mushrooms in a large mixing bowl. Pour 3 cups boiling water over and let sit for 11/2 hours to reconstitute; reserve the liquid. Slice mushrooms thinly. 2 Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, dried herbs, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic; cook for 1 more minute. 3 Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup reserved mushroom liquid and cook until thick. Add mushrooms, canned tomatoes, and remaining mushroom liquid. Increase heat to high; bring to a boil. Lower heat; simmer, partially covered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat. 4 Stir in basil and adjust for salt, pepper, and sugar accordingly. Serve sauce over spaghetti noodles and garnish with extra basil leaves.