Spicy Turkey Pasta Sauce: Flexibility

For SH - my new flexibility partner and TCG who helps keep me flexible.


Physically, I am strangely flexible given my age.  (almost 40.)  I can still do the splits (easily), I can do a bridge, and I can twist my body into random contortions thanks to fairly dedicated exercise and yoga practice.  I love the flexibility of my body and I love the challenge that comes from maintaining and extending that limberness in my limbs.

I often wish the flexibility in my body carried over to my emotional and mental flexibility; it often does not.  I'm stubborn and freakishly stubborn to boot, and I have set ideas and set ideals and set ways that I often can't seem to break.  I get on a routine, a schedule, and an orbit, and moving out or changing any of those things is often near impossible for me.  When I have to make modifications or change, I get extremely worked up and agitated over it.

But I'm seeking that flexibility.  I want that flexibility of mind and body.  I'm trying each day to let more go and to let more in, to allow God to do more and have me do less.  It's been an interesting journey, finding this mental and emotional flexibility, but a good one.

In honor of my new quest for flexibility, I thought I'd create a spicy turkey sauce that can be enjoyed in a number of different ways.  (Flexible sauce!  Flexible life!) The result was really great and Son and Daughters and I loved it.  It's great to make a huge batch of and then freeze for later flexible eating.  (Flexible freezer eats!)

**Note - in an effort to be even further flexible, I actually ate mine without pasta or polenta over Asparagus bits.  I almost didn't miss the starch. (Almost, but I'm flexible.)

Spicy Turkey Pasta Sauce
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 lb ground turkey
7 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fennel seed
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (or more if you like it really spicy)
¾ cups red or white wine
28 oz can of roma tomatoes with juice, pureed
3 tablespoons tomato paste (I like the kind that comes in a tube for convenience sake)
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade (really thin strips)

Method
Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook, browning turkey. Add garlic, fennel seed, oregano and chili pepper flakes and cook for an additional 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add wine and cook off liquid for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and honey and reduce heat to low. Cover and allow sauce to simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add basil right before serving. Serve over your favorite pasta or over pan fried polenta.

Printable recipe

Definitely can be flexible about eating this.