Vegetable Spaghetti

This is a recipe I came up with the other day. I have been trying to eat better and I love pasta so I had to figure out something that combined both of those. And I did! Also, one of the reasons I came up with this is because I wanted to treat my boyfriend. I have a bad knee and sometimes it acts up and walking for me becomes really hard. For 3 out of the 5 nights at work recently, he picked me up without question, even when he had to be up at 6am and I wasn't off work each night until 1130pm. He's a keeper! :)

Anyways, this recipe is so simple! I did use ground sweet sausage in this but it can be easily left out if you don't eat or want meat in this. You just throw it all together in a pot!

Vegetable Spaghetti
1/2 pound ground sweet sausage or beef (optional)
1 box Pictsweet Tuscan Vegetable Medley -You can also use Birds Eye Tuscan Vegetables in Herbed Tomato Sauce. Both are delicious for something like this-
1/2 can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning (any brand will do)
1/2-4 tablespoons of minced garlic -You can use the stuff in the jar with oil and as much as you want. I love garlic-
1/4-1/2 medium red onion, diced
2/3-1 jar of garden style pasta sauce -Use any that you like. I would even say use other flavors if you are feeling creative-
1/2 box or 8oz of whole wheat pasta of your liking
seasoning of your liking -Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning-

Start by cooking your meat, if you choose to use any. I added garlic and Italian seasoning to it while it cooked. Drain off the grease and set it aside. Boil the water and cook the pasta as directed. Drain and set aside. Now for the veggies! Since there are frozen boxed veggies, follow the directions on the package to heat them up and then, with all the other veggies, meat and seasonings, throw them in the pot you cooked the pasta in. Use medium heat to cook and thoroughly heat through the canned and raw veggies. Cook them too your liking. I prefer mine to still have crunch to them so mine don't cook that long. Once heated add the sauce and heat some more! I usually wait until everything starts to simmer and the sauce starts to constantly bubble. Toss in the pasta and make sure everything is heated through thoroughly!! At this point you can heat it quickly or turn the heat down and let everything melt together till the pasta is swollen from the sauce and everything is one.... I couldn't wait. Was hungry :)

Serve with bread sticks and enjoy! This recipe had 6-8 servings in it so even with just 2 people we had leftovers! I hope you enjoy this. I'm sorry I don't have pictures. Next recipe will definitely have photos!

Emily