Hide Your Veggies! Wednesday Weeknight Meal

I never thought about hiding veggies in anything until my veggie-loving baby turned into a veggie-shunning toddler!  So, here’s a way I sneak some veggies in so that the little man (and Daddy) get some extra veggies in, courtesy of Mom.

Ok, so this is a simple recipe for homemade pasta sauce that can be thrown together pretty quickly and freezes well.  I’ve frozen it in Ziploc bags to lay flat in the freezer and defrost quickly, but everyone has their preferences.

Oh, by the way, I rarely keep track of recipes – I’m a little reckless in the kitchen sometimes.  I do something a little bit differently each time I cook something.  Cooking with your heart (and your taste buds) makes life more fun and you will usually end up pleasantly surprised!  So there isn’t much “exactness” to this recipe but you get the general idea.  Plus, pasta sauce is pretty simple and a little variation won’t hurt it.  Play it by ear.  Taste it along the way, and adjust.  Think outside the recipe.

Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce (with Secret Veggies)

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 lbs. ground beef (or turkey, if that’s more your style)
½ onion, chopped (optional, add more or less to your taste)
1-2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 big cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1-2 cans chicken broth
2 cubes beef bouillon
Italian spice blend
Veggies to hide:
- Carrots
- Zucchini
- Sweet Potato (I haven’t done this yet, I always add just carrots and zucchini)
- Peppers (also want to try "hiding" some sweet peppers)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a frying pan.  Brown the meat with the onions and garlic, add Italian spices while cooking.  Drain the oil.  You don’t want greasy sauce.

Grate the veggies.  Smaller is better.  If you add zucchini, you may want to peel it first if you have really picky eaters that scour their food for veggies.

Empty the cans of tomato into a big pot on the stove on medium heat.  Add your meat and veggies, stirring.  Cover. Wait a few minutes.

Add tomato paste, stirring more.  Now add chicken broth.  Start with 1 can.  Stir.  If your sauce looks too thick, add a second can.  If it seems watery now, don’t worry, it will thicken as it cooks more.

Add the beef bouillon cubes.  My mom says this decreases heartburn associated with eating red sauces.  I tend to agree with her.  You can also add additional spices, salt, and pepper here.  I don’t add salt, just a personal preference of mine.

Sauce should be hot and bubbly now.  Lower the heat and cover, simmer for about 30 min, stirring occasionally.  (I use this time to cook my pasta.)

DONE!

Serve over pasta.  Freeze leftover sauce for an easy dinner next week.  Smile as you watch your family eat veggies.