Favourite winter moments
Winter is here and I am pretty excited. I love the first snowfall! Letting those first snowflakes settle on my face is one of my favourite winter moments. It's a great time for families and friends to get out and have some fun together walking or playing in the snow.
After one of those outdoor winter adventures, it's sure nice to come home to a hot meal. This is where a crock pot comes in handy! The recipe I'm sharing today is moose meat spaghetti sauce made in a crock pot so all you have to do is cook the pasta when you get home. Sound good? Of course, if you don’t have moose meat, you can always substitute ground beef.
Hunting in Northern BC
I know many Indigenous people and Northerners who hunt, or have someone who hunts for them. I had the good fortune last year to be given some moose meat from a friend. I learned a lot from him about the best way to cook the meat and make sure it is safe to eat. The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has excellent resources about handling and consuming game safely, and the donation of culled game meat, on their web site.
FNHA resources on traditional foods
The First Nations Traditional Foods fact sheets from the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) are a great resource on traditional foods such as moose. They provide nutritional information as well as traditional harvesting and food use. Moose meat is an excellent source of protein and B vitamins (riboflavin and niacin), and a good source of iron. It's also low in saturated fat compared to modern domestic animals like beef.
I'll admit that at first, my daughters and I were hesitant to try moose meat because we had not had it before. But after a few meals, we found it hard to go back to beef! Moose meat is a healthy and delicious Northern food. I hope you enjoy winter and this great tasting crock pot moose meat spaghetti!
Crock pot moose spaghetti
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 500 g ground moose meat
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1- 28 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1- 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Other vegetables such as mushrooms or zucchini (optional)
- 1 package spaghetti or other pasta noodles
Instructions:
- Fry the ground moose meat in a frying pan with the oil until fully cooked. Put into crock pot.
- Add the rest of the ingredients except the noodles. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- When you are ready to eat, in separate pot, boil water, add the noodles, and cook as per the package directions. Drain. Serve with the sauce on top.
If you like, you can garnish with parmesan cheese and serve with a tossed salad. A dessert such as frozen berries is a nice addition.
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