Chunky Tomato "4DaHella" Sauce


Ingredients

Garlic
Onions
Carrots
Peppers
Tomatoes, Diced
Crushed Red Pepper
Fennel Seeds
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil


Grated Parmesan topping (optional)
Nutritional Yeast Flakes topping (optional)





Preparation

I never follow a specific recipe for my tomato sauce, as it is more about adding vegetables you like, avoiding those you don't, and seasoning to your taste buds.

I start by chopping several cloves of fresh garlic and a couple yellow onions (medium). Since I choose not to add sugar, I slice a few handfuls of pre-peeled "baby" carrots to slightly sweeten the acidic tomatoes. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot, heat on medium stovetop, then toss in the garlic, onions, and carrots. Saute until the carrots soften, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add the chopped bell peppers, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes (both to taste), and cook for about 5 more minutes.

You can dice up some fresh tomatoes, or add enough cans of diced, no salt added tomatoes until the ratio of tomatoes to other veggies is to your liking. Reduce heat and cook on low, stirring frequently.

I find the longer I can slowly simmer this mixture the better, as the canned tomatoes take a while to break down and create a well-incorporated, yet hearty sauce. I prefer that everything remain somewhat chunky with discernible veggies rather than cook all the way down to the consistency of a store-bought sauce. When I've opted for fresh tomatoes (love the grape-sized variety since they only require slicing in half once), I simmer for a much shorter period of time to take advantage of that "just cooked" taste.

Before serving, tear (or kitchen scissor) several fresh basil leaves in, then stir to warm them up and mix the flavors.

This sauce is great over traditional pasta or polenta, though I most often brown green veggies (broccoli, asparagus, or brussels sprouts) in a stovetop fry pan and stir some sauce in with those. Also good (for vegetarians like me) over diced, cooked tofu. Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese, or...prepare yourself...nutritional yeast flakes, which are high in protein, B vitamins, and essential amino acids.

The more sauce you prepare, the more easy meals you'll have ready to go whenever! Store in your fridge or freeze in smaller containers for a day when you don't want to cook,...which might be just about every day, huh?