Recently I did a blog post about making homemade pizza with your children as a fun way to get them excited about eating vegetables. In that post I mentioned using Extra Sneaky Marinara Sauce as another idea to increase their vegetable intake. Here is the recipe as promised.

Fresh vegetables washed and ready for chopping

Ingredients:
Jar of plain marinara sauce or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes
Any combination of vegetables such as onion, garlic, broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, spinach, mushroom, carrot, peppers, etc. I vary it each time just depending on what I have on hand.
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Optional: fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, or rosemary

Directions:

Chopped and ready to go into the pot!

2. Saute garlic and onion in olive oil

3. Add additional vegetables and continue to sauté.

Love all the colors...and the yummy smell!

4. Add half the jar of marinara or one can of stewed tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you are using herbs, you can add them now. Cover and simmer until vegetables are soft.

5. Transfer vegetable mixture to blender. Blend until pureed.

Here's where the magic happens...transform chunky veggies into a smooth sauce

6. Transfer pureed vegetables back to pot and add remaining marinara or canned tomatoes.

7. Simmer over low heat for a few minutes, occasionally stirring

Viola! It’s seriously as easy as that! You can serve with your favorite noodles or use it for making homemade pizzas. To save time, you can make it in large batches and freeze portions for late use.

Ready to eat...hard to believe it's loaded with veggie-goodness!

My youngest was hanging in the kitchen with me while I made this batch of sauce. I let him try a little taste and he asked for more. He ended up eating it by the spoonful and loving it!

Yummers!

What strategies do you use to get your kids to eat healthy foods? I would love to hear your ideas!

-Sarah