By Irene Hayton

• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 pound (500 g) lean ground turkey or chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 6 mushrooms, chopped
• 28 ounce (796 ml) can diced tomatoes
• 5½ ounce (156 ml) can tomato paste
• 1½ teaspoons (7 ml) sea salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) oregano
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) thyme
• ½ teaspoon (2 ml) dried red chili peppers
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) chili powder
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the oil, onion, and celery and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the ground turkey or chicken and cook until the turkey is no longer pink. Drain off any fat then transfer to a large pot. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 2 hours (the longer the better), stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Serve over whole-grain pasta, brown rice, or spaghetti squash (see below). Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Spaghetti squash is a smooth watermelon-shaped squash with an off-white or yellow coloured skin. Once it’s cooked, the flesh of this type of squash separates into spaghetti-like strands. To cook spaghetti squash, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds in the center. Place the halves in a shallow glass casserole dish or on a baking sheet, cut side down. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 45 minutes. The squash is done when the flesh separates easily into strands; it’s best when it’s still a bit crunchy. Be careful not to overcook it or it’ll taste bland and mushy. If the spaghetti squash contains too much moisture, it can be spun in a salad spinner.