Name: Hearty Tomato Sauce
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped; 3 large stalks celery, chopped; 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 2 teaspoons salt; 2 (28 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups cooked; 2 tablespoons real maple syrup (to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, use sugar if you don't have syrup)

Use my Hearty Tomato Sauce as another opportunity to sneak in a little extra nutrition for yourself or picky eaters.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

3 large stalks celery, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons salt

2 (28 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups cooked

2 tablespoons real maple syrup (to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, use sugar if you don't have syrup)

Over medium heat, warm oil in a large pot. Add onions, carrots, celery, bell pepper, garlic, herbs, pepper flakes, and salt. Cook covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have started to soften.

Remove cover and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and chickpeas. Stir, then cook uncovered for another 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if you like. When the carrots are tender, remove the pot from the heat. To blend, use an immersion blender (hand held stick blender) or let cool slightly, then carefully ladle into a blender and puree for a few seconds till desired consistency is achieved. Add maple syrup to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and adjust salt, if necessary.