Like everything we do at Functional Self, our recipes have been designed to help you achieve your optimal state. The foods we eat impact our energy levels, mood and cognitive ability, as well as supporting a healthy gut microbiome. We wanted to create a recipe series that focuses on nutrient-dense real foods that will help you reach your highest level of health and vitality. Functional Self recipes are packed full of nourishing ingredients and will help to provide a clear path ahead for clean eating, regardless of your starting off point.  

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Ultimate Bolognese 

Level: Easy 
Time: 50 minutes 
Makes: 4 servings 

Why ultimate? Because it is nutrient dense, nourishing and delicious. Plus it fills you up, leaving you feeling satisfied and full of energy, instead of weighed down in a carb coma. For maximum taste and nutrition factor use gut-healing bone broth. There is also an option to add a little lamb or chicken liver which is nutritious and enriches the dish. 

Serve with vegetable spaghetti or vegetable rice, or try a baked sweet potato. 

Ingredients 

• 500g beef mince 
• 3 -4 cloves chopped garlic 
• 2 medium onion, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano 
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme 
• 4 dried bay leaves 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 100g chicken or lamb liver, finely chopped (optional) 
• 300ml bone broth, or water 
• 600ml tomato passata 
• 1 teaspoon sea / pink Himalayan salt 
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional) 
• 200g carrots, grated 
• 20g fresh basil (stalks chopped) 
• Small handful fresh parsley 
• 2 large/4 small avocado 

Method  

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee in a large pan on a low heat. Gently sauté the onion for 10 minutes. Add the oregano, thyme, chopped basil stalks, nutmeg, bay leaves, salt, pepper and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.  

2. Break up the mince and add to the pan with the liver (if using). Break up further using a spatula if needed. Cook for 5 minutes then stir in the passata and bone broth (or water/stock). 

3. Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for a minimum of 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours. Stir occasionally and keep a check on the liquid level. If it looks like it is drying out then add a little water or if it looks too watery then take the lid off the pan so some liquid can evaporate. 

4. Approximately 5-10 minutes before you finish cooking, remove and discard the bay leaves and stir in the grated carrots, parsley and basil leaves. Prep the avocado and make any other vegetable accompaniments.  

Enjoy!