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Make Cooking Simple
Pasta
is on the menu this month. Many of us turn to pasta when we want an easy, quick
and inexpensive meal. For speed and ease, it is hard to beat spaghetti tossed
with a little olive oil and parmesan cheese. Or, open a jar of your favorite
sauce to heat while the past cooks. Add a simple salad, and crusty bread, and
your meal is ready to serve in about 15 minutes.
Jars of sauce are a great convenience, but can be high in sodium. Quick and Easy
Tomato Sauce is well named, and costs about $1.20 for four servings. Sodium
content stays low too, and can be reduced further by using no-salt added
tomatoes. This light-bodied sauce will be more like a traditional tomato sauce
with the addition of a 6 ounce can of tomato paste as noted in one of the
variations listed below the recipe.
See this month’s handout for tips on buying and cooking pasta, as well as more
tasty recipes.
Quick and Easy Tomato Sauce
˝ tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
˝ cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1
15-oz. can chopped tomatoes*
1 teaspoon dried basil
˝ teaspoon dried oregano
Heat oil over medium heat in saucepan. Add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes
until tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute but do not let garlic burn.
Stir in tomatoes, basil and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer
for at least 5 minutes or longer to let flavors blend. Makes about 2 cups of
sauce, enough for 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 46 calories, 7g carbohydrate, 1.5g fiber, 2g
fat, 174mg sodium. *Use no-salt-added tomatoes to reduce sodium to 15g per
serving.
Variations:
For thicker sauce, add one 6-oz. can tomato paste plus 1/3 cup water along with
tomatoes and herbs.
For meat sauce, eliminate the oil and start by cooking ˝ pound ground meat with
onion. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Or, start with a packet of Make Ahead
Browned Meat (instructions printed in the March issue), and eliminate onion and
oil. When meat is hot, add garlic, then proceed with recipe as written above.
Other vegetables may be added if desired. Add sliced mushrooms, chopped green
and red bell peppers or others to the onions and oil. Increase sauté time as
needed so vegetables are tender.
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