Merlot Infused Garden-Fresh Veggie & Sweet Italian Sausage Ragu

This ragu makes a regular appearance in my weekly menu planning every season of the year. Why?? It is so easy, delicious & I hide veggies in it like a crazy woman stuffing $$ in every pocket while in one of the $$ blowing cases ((do you know what I am talking about?))!!

I mean, just look at all the veggies & garden-fresh herbs I crammed into this ragu:

 I particularly love this meal because it is low-carb & by taking a few extra (& simple) steps it can be made low-fat too ((yay!!)). Here are the steps I take to lower the fat:

1. ((obvious)) – select the lowest fat ground beef possible (97:3 is a great option)
2. chicken & turkey breast are on excellent alternative to beef ((I didn’t use that this time because I had pre-cooked ground beef that NEEDED to be used))
3. chicken/turkey sausage are also great substitutes 
4. once the meat ((beef and/or Italian sausage)) is browned, drain* it & lay it out on several layers of paper towels so that even more fat can be extracted
5. after the paper towels have done their magic, place the meat in a baggie or a lidded container & stick it in the fridge. Why? even more fat will collect on the sides and bottom of the container
6. when sautéing the veggies, coat the bottom of the stock pot with a tiny bit of oil by placing 1/2 t of oil on a paper towel and wiping the bottom & sides of the pot with said paper towel
7. Don’t add any more oil to the sauce (most ragu’s add olive oil)

*This week’s ‘Tip of the Week’ will provide a simple way to remove a lot of fat from meat without holding a big heavy pot oven a tiny can, so get ready!

In this ragu, I get my flavor from a bounty of fresh veggies, herbs, seasonings, Merlot & several hours of stove top cooking on a low simmer. 

**One last suggestion before we get to the recipe: buy the best Sweet Italian Sausage you can find (LOVERA’S Sweet Italian Sausage is sold at CREST!!). In addition, use high quality dried herbs – purchase from a reputable online store if you can’t find them locally.