Mandy's Special Sauce

 
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Do you struggle with a fussy eater?

Need an easy way to get more veggies on your family’s plates?

Mandy’s Special Sauce is simple, easy, versatile and packed with nutrients!

This is a recipe that I have been meaning to share here for ages. Its just a simple tomato sauce but because it’s packed full of hidden veggies it makes a really fantastic addition to your children’s meals and a great way to sneak in some extra nutrients. 

There has been so much talk in the press and on tv lately about hidden sugars in food such as jarred tomato sauce. We all know we should be making our own but on busy days when we have only minutes to get dinner on the table then sometimes there is no other option. But not anymore! Spend 30 minutes cooking up a batch of this sauce every month and I promise you’ll never buy another jar again.

For me, the key to healthy family eating is preparation. When I make a batch of this tomato sauce I always fill one large jar to keep in the fridge and then freeze the rest. It can be frozen in freezer bags or in individual ice cube trays also, which is great for toddler or baby sized portions.

The sauce will keep in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months. To defrost either leave it out to defrost at room temperature for a few hours or heat it gently in a saucepan.

There’s so much you can do with this sauce. It’s great for pasta dishes, on pizzas or even as a base for soup. If you try this recipe please do let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, finely diced

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 3 carrots, finely diced

  • 2 celery sticks, finely diced

  • 2 zucchinis, finely diced

  • 1 red capsicum, chopped

  • 1 eggplant, chopped

  • half a head of cauliflower, chopped

  • half a head of broccoli, chopped

  • 500ml / 2 cups vegetable stock

  • 1.5kg passata (see Homemade Italian Sauce recipe)

  • 1 TBSP tomato puree

  • 1 TSP dried basil

  • 1 TSP rosemary

  • 1 TSP thyme

  • 1 TSP paprika

METHOD

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another minute before adding the carrots, celery and red pepper. Cook stirring the vegetables for another 2-3 minutes before adding in the remaining vegetables (eggplant, cauliflower and broccoli) stir for another 2 minutes to soften veggies.

  2. Pour in the vegetable stock and passata and stir well. Add the tomato puree, dried herbs and paprika and bring to the boil.

  3. Simmer on a medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

  4. Remove from the heat and blitz either with a hand blender or in an upright blender until smooth.

  5. Pour the sauce into jars, containers or freezer bags and allow to cool before refrigerating or freezing.

Amanda Lupica