4 ingredient pasta

As a student, I'm always looking for quick, freezer-friendly meals that are easy to heat up during exam season. Pasta has always been a staple in my student diet- but how can you make a tasty pasta sauce without onions, garlic and cheese?

First, a note on gluten-free pasta. It is usually made from rice or corn flour instead of wheat flour. I've tried a few brands out there and don't really have a preference- as usual, I just go for whatever is on sale. I find that with gluten-free pasta it is very important to follow the cooking directions on the package. What seems "al-dente" upon testing may just be inedible when you add the sauce.

So how can you add flavor to your pasta sauce without onions, garlic and cheese? Herbs! I use lots of basil- a perfect match to tomatoes. This is my alternative to pre-made pasta sauces such as Ragu or Classico.

Ingredients:

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 package basil (approximately 30 leaves of basil)
1 package gluten-free pasta
1 package ground beef (approximately 1.5 pounds)

salt and pepper to taste (I add lots and lots of fresh ground pepper)

What you need:

- deep nonstick pan
- large pot for boiling pasta (non-stick preferred)
- strainer
- spatula
- can opener

Directions:

1) Chiffonade the basil leaves

2) Add the ground beef to the pan and brown (do not drain off the fat, fat= flavor)

3) Add the basil and crushed tomatoes

4) While sauce is cooking, cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions

5) When pasta is cooked, add back to the non-stick pasta pot

6) Add pasta sauce to the pasta slowly- making sure not to drench the pasta with sauce. Store away extra sauce in freezer.

You can add just about anything to this recipe. I like to cook up some mushrooms and zucchini and add to the ground beef to give my meal some extra fibre. If you (or your guests) can tolerate and enjoy spicy food and/or dairy products, add some hot sauce and parmesean cheese!

*** low-calorie option: make sure to use brown rice pasta and substitute ground chicken or turkey for ground beef. You may want to add some chicken stock to keep the meat moist.