Do you want even more vegetables added to your dinner? One way to include even more vegetable goodness into your daily meals is to add even more of it to my adaptable basic tomato sauce. In this version I have added shredded carrots and fresh spinach, which not only add more healthy vegetables to the sauce but also gives it a nice colour. Pour the sauce over your favourite pasta shape and you have a delicious healthy meal.
I love using spinach, partly because of the colour but also to make sure I get enough iron in my diet. I am far from a dietitian or anything like that, but I do remember the basics from home economics in school (a long time ago) and I will always try to balance my meals every day.
If you prefer a smoother sauce, before adding the carrots and spinach, carefully pour the sauce in to a blender and blend on high speed until it has reached a desired consistency. Then pour back into your pot to add carrots and spinach.
No food waste
Use this recipe to save softening carrots and wilting spinach from going to waste. I often use old, but perfectly edible vegetables, in sauces and stews to give them a second life and avoiding filling up my compost.
Freezer Friendly
Freeze the sauce to make it last even longer. In an airtight container it will last for at least three months in the freezer and possibly even longer. Perfect to take out the night before and let it defrost in the fridge or take it straight from the freezer to the pan and let it reheat in low.
Adaptable Healthy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cans of 400g each crushed tomatoes
- 100 ml red lentils
- 200 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 1 tsp sugar
- A pinch of white pepper
- 200 gram carrots shredded
- 500 gram fresh spinach
Instructions
- Chop one large onion and mince the garlic.
- Fry the onion and garlic in vegetable oil in a deep pot for about five minutes, until the onion is soft.
- Add the canned tomatoes, lentils and water, give a good stir.
- Add salt, oregano, sugar and white pepper.
- Bring the sauce to boil, then let simmer under lid 15-20 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, shred the carrots using the largest side of your grater to avoid too small pieces.
- Wash and drain the spinach in a colander.
- Add the carrots and spinach to the sauce, stir and let the spinach wilt into the sauce. This takes only a few minutes.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve over your favourite pasta shapes.
Notes
Variations
Make it spicy with the addition of 1 jar (200 grams) of salsa.
Missing the meat? Add 400 grams mince beef or vegetarian mince to turn it in to a healthy Ragu.
Add a feta cheese block and bake it in the oven.