Easy Tomato Sauce

An easy tomato sauce is a great basic recipe to have on hand. Lighter tasting and easier to digest, tomato sauce is an essential base for other more complex sauces. As well, it’s delicious just as it is.

Try it in any recipe where a Marinara is called for. It’s lower in fat and calories but its lighter taste also allows the other ingredients to shine through. I sometimes use this as a pizza sauce (you might have to cook it down a bit to thicken) and it’s great on spaghetti squash or with cooked shrimp or chicken tossed with noodles.

Cook this up in bulk when tomatoes are plentiful and freeze for use during the winter. Talk about saving time, and eating healthfully at the same time! It’s super easy and super tasty.

You’ll need

-2 tbsp olive oil

-8 large, fresh tomatoes – peeled, seeded, cored and chopped (or 1-28 oz can whole tomatoes and 1-28 oz can puréed tomatoes)

-1 Spanish onion, chopped

-2 celery stalks, diced

-1 sweet green pepper, seeded and diced

-1 medium zucchini, trimmed and diced

-4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced

-¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

-¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

-1 tsp tamari

-freshly ground black pepper

-a sprinkle of hot sauce

-2 dried bay leaves

In a large non-reactive pot heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until transparent.Then add the rest of the vegetables, including the garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, stirring.

Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer, covered, for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.

If the sauce is too watery, remove the cover for the last 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves

If you prefer a smoother sauce, pulse purée to your liking.

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