Vegan Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

 Even vegans like a little meat sauce on their spaghetti.

Toddler edition/Mommy edition (only difference: I cut up his noodles)

I started something new a couple weeks ago. Instead of just planning the menu each week based on what sounds good/looks good at the grocery store, I broke down the days into themes. Check it out:

Monday = Taco night

Tuesday = Indian night

Wednesday = Italian night

Thursday = Grain bowl night

Friday = American night

The weekends are when Chuck and I cook together, so those are a little more creative and spur-of-the-moment. It's been pretty fun having these themes! Taco night can mean anything from lettuce wraps to enchiladas; Indian night could be a lentil loaf or a quick and easy curry...etc. Each night gives me the flexibility to either do a super quick meal (spaghetti) or a more time-consuming meal (stuffed shells or lasagna).

Spaghetti is a go-to quick and easy meal for a lot of us right? And it can be pretty boring...but adding just one ingredient will change a simple tomato sauce into a nutritious and delicious meat sauce! Walnut meat! It gives a really nice meaty bite with each fork full and provides protein and omega-3s.  Check out how easy this is:

recipe:

Your favorite spaghetti sauce (or make your own with this recipe)

3/4 cup to 1 cup chopped walnuts

2 big handfuls spinach (optional)

heat up sauce in sauce pan. Add chopped walnuts and spinach. stir until spinach wilts a bit. Add favorite spaghetti noodle. Enjoy.