Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

You will need:

2 large, soft, ripe tomatoes, diced

1/2 small onion, diced

1 cup chopped fresh broccoli

6 thickly chopped button or crimini mushrooms

1/2 of one thickly chopped zucchini (each zucchini slice should be then cut in half)

2/3 cup diced green bell pepper

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tbsp dried basil

1/4 cup water

Serves 1 -2 (1 large portion or 2 small portions)

Directions:

In a medium pot, sautee diced onions in extra virgin olive until translucent.

Add diced tomatoes, then other ingredients. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer on low to medium heat while you make your pasta. Do not simmer less than 15 minutes. Will look like this when done:

Once you make your pasta and put it into a bowl or plate, add 2 cups of sauce to each 1 cup serving of pasta. Here I use my personal favorite, ziti:

TIP: Serve it with a crisp green salad!

http://www.my-healthy-eating-secrets.com/homemade-spaghetti-sauce-recipe.html

5-Minute Tomato Sauce for Pasta and Pizza

Look for canned crushed tomatoes, some cans you will come across will say "with added puree" - this is also fine. I avoid diced tomatoes, pass on pureed, and skip whole tomatoes as well. Avoid the crushed tomatoes with added herbs, seasonings, etc. You want pure crushed tomatoes if possible. I also look for organic crushed tomatoes which can be tricky, I often come across the Muir Glen brand, it has added basil in it - that one is actually fine. The San Marzano crushed tomatoes are great as well. Any leftover sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for three or four days.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes
zest of one lemon

Combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat, saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown. Stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer, this takes just a couple minutes. Remove from heat and carefully take a taste (you don't want to burn your tongue)...If the sauce needs more salt add it now. Stir in the lemon zest reserving a bit to sprinkle on top of your pasta.

PUTTANESCA PASTA SAUCE

2 TBSP canola or olive oil

1 TBSP minced garlic

1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp of dried thyme

1 TBSP chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp of dried basil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup basic tomato sauce

or prepared tomato sauce

6 cups diced tomatoes fresh or canned

3/4 cups pitted kalamata olives quartered

2 TBSP capers

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic, dried herbs, and crushed red peppers.(Fresh herbs will be added later.)Do not brown the garlic.

When the garlic mixture is hot, add the tomato sauce and the tomatoes.If using fresh tomatoes, add 1 cup of water .Cook the sauce,stirring often,just until it bubbles.Add the olives,capers,parsley,and fresh herbs and reduce the heat to low.Allow the sauce to cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer for the flavors to develop.

Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta,or 8 servings.

Recipe taken from “The Complete Vegan Kitchen” by Jannequin Bennett