Italian Meat Sauce (Weight Watcher Friendly - Crockpot)

If you wanted a nice, easy pasta sauce...Weight Watcher friendly in points...but not sacrificing the taste. This is it!!! Serving size: 1 cup pasta, 1 cup sauce, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1 tablespoon basil = 13 points

• Ready In: 8 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2  cups onions, chopped
• 1  cup carrot, chopped
• 6  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1  lb  ground sirloin
• 1⁄2 cup kalamata olive, pitted and sliced
• 1⁄4 cup  no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1 (28 ounce) can  no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1  cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1  tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 16  ounces whole wheat pasta, uncooked
• 1⁄2 cup  torn fresh basil
• 3  ounces parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and carrot to pan; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Place vegetable mixture in a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Add sausage and beef to skillet; sauté 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.
3. To remove the excess grease, strain the beef in a colandar. Add beef mixture to slow cooker.
4. Stir olives and next 6 ingredients (through tomato sauce) into slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours. Stir in oregano.
5. Prepare pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Serve sauce with hot cooked pasta; top with basil and cheese.