At some point all children seem to go through an I hate vegetable phase so if you are there and need a solution this easy hidden veg tomato sauce is the answer. It tastes great, can be batched cooked and frozen and they never notice the vegetables. I use this easy hidden veg tomato sauce on pasta, with chicken and rice, as the ragu sauce for bolognese and on meatballs.
You will need:
1 tin tomato chopped
1 carton passata
1 beef stock pot
500ml water
2 slices smoked bacon (use low salt or omit for very young children)
2 carrots
1 clove of garlic
1 red onion
2 courgettes
1 stick celery
1 red pepper (the taste of this is most noticeable so leave out for the very fussy)
Pepper and Dried Italian herbs (to taste)
Method:
- Peel courgette, onion and carrots and roughly chop
- Chop celery
- Finely chop or grate garlic clove
- Put 1 tbsp olive oil into a large pot which has a lid and heat on a medium heat
- Add celery and garlic stir for 1 minute
- If using chop bacon and add to pot
- Add courgette, onion and carrots and stirfry for a few minutes just till onion softens slightly. Try not to add colour to vegetables
- Add chopped tomato, passata, stock pot and water
- Add dried herbs and pepper to taste
- Stir, cover and leave on a low heat for 20 mins or until carrot is soft. You want flavours to mix without reducing liquid volume too much
- Use a hand held blender stick to blend together in the pot or transfer to a liquidiser and blend
- Either serve immediately or leave to cool and freeze in small portions
