Side note: The boiling point of water is 100 degrees celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit

First we will begin by washing our hands with soap and water! When handling food it is important to keep a clean work station and this includes your hands. We will start our process with boiling about 4 cups of water in a pot big enough for the pasta to fit into.

Once the water has hit the boiling point, we will add in our pasta! Spaghetti is traditional but you can use any pasta you like! There are whole wheat and vegetable pastas available for a healthier alternative

Pasta is healthy! When it is cooked it becomes a resistant starch which helps with fat burning and reduces fat storage of fatty cells.

Read the directions on the pasta box to make sure you do not overcook or under-cook your pasta! This important for the nutritional benefits of the pasta. Some directions will tell you to add a dash of salt to your pasta, this is optional. Remove your pot from the burner once the pasta is fully cooked and bring it over to the sink to get strained. I like to use a strainer but if this is not available then using a plate or large spoon to separate the pasta from the water will do. Strain all the water from the pasta and put back into the pot when done.

It is time for the sauce!

I will be showing you how to make a tomato based meat sauce to go with our pasta. The addition of beef to our sauce will increase the protein in this meal, making it more nutritional. This can easily be removed for vegetarians. Here are my ingredients for the sauce...

I will begin by cooking my ground beef in a large skillet or pan. The beef needs to be redish pink initially. If not, then the meat may be too old and could cause sickness.

Cook until color throughout turns to a grey and brown color. This should take approximately 15-20 minutes depending on the amount of meat you use. In this picture I added my onions so they could begin cooking.

Once the meat is cooked, I added my onions and seasonings. I added garlic and Italian seasonings for flavor. You could also add mushrooms, pepper, or additional vegetables and seasonings. This is where you can let your inner chef out! For a thicker sauce, strain your meat before adding the sauce.