Hi Friends,
There’s nothing like twirling your fork and enjoying the classic Italian flavors of spaghetti🍝. But let’s face it… most of us are trying to avoid carbs from pasta and refined flours. I have good news… Recently, one of my patients introduced me to Hearts of Palm Pasta. The Trader Joe’s brand, is one simple ingredient: the vegetable called Hearts of Palm, cut into the shape of noodles! It’s incredibly low in carbs, high in fiber, and has a very similar texture to pasta noodles!
Bolognese Sauce:
2 jars of organic pasta sauce
2 lbs of organic chicken or meat of your choice
1 large onion🧅, chopped
4 cloves of garlic🧄, minced or through garlic press
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper🫑, chopped
2 broccoli crowns🥦, chopped into florets
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2.5 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Fresh herbs like Italian parsley or basil🌿 for garnishing
In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic, and bell peppers with olive oil until caramelized and fragrant on low to medium heat. Then add the ground chicken, add salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Break up the chicken with a spatula and sauté until browned. Lower the heat and allow all the water to evaporate before adding the 2 jars of pasta sauce and broccoli. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Preparing the Hearts of Palm pasta is simple. Just place in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and warm for about 5 minutes. Be aware that 1 package serves 1 person.
Serve topped with sauce and garnished with fresh herbs.
Wal-Date Bites:
2 cups walnuts
8 large organic Medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Put all the ingredients in the food processor and pulse until bound together. Check the taste, and you can add additional dates depending on your sweetness preference.
Use your hands to shape into small balls. It can be enjoyed immediately, or stored in the fridge for later.
My family’s reaction upon trying this was, “It’s better than a chocolate chip cookie🍪!”
Healthy food can be incredibly yummy and satisfying! Hope you get a chance to make these recipes and enjoy it with your family this summer.
Warm regards,
Rajsree Nambudripad, MD
Dr. Rajsree is a caring and compassionate physician, who is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Integrative/Holistic medicine. She is passionate about helping patients optimize their health through a preventative approach involving healthy lifestyle, dietary changes, targeted nutritional supplementation, and optimizing hormones. Her practice is unique in the personalized attention she devotes to each and every patient.