Hidden Veggies Pasta Sauce

There are so many great hidden veggie pasta sauce recipes out there but I wish I had time to go through each to try them one by one. I tried a couple but those failed the test. Neither my darling daughter approved of them nor did the house adults. Moreover, as a parent am a big advocate of feeding the kid what everyone eats at home. It is not only too much work to prepare separate meals but also, for me, it takes away that feeling of dining together. I felt most hidden veggie pasta sauce recipes are intended only for kids. And I wanted to have one which we all can savor. Not to forget the store bought ones are loaded with sodium and many more other ingredients that you just do not need in your food. This recipe does take 50-60 mins to prepare a whole jar of pasta sauce but it is so worth it. Once the sauce is prepared, seal it in an airtight container. Stores well in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and freezes well for 3 months. 

Recipe
2 stalks celery, grated
2 carrots, grated
1 red pepper, grated 
1 green pepper, grated 
1 onion, grated
1 zucchini, grated
2-3 cloves of garlic, grated
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
2 cans of whole peeled tomatoes, no salt added

• In a large saucepan, heat oil and add all the grated veggies. Add a pinch of salt to let absorb excess moisture and cook uncovered for 8-10 min on medium. Keep stirring to avoid veggies from getting burnt.
• Add the canned whole peeled tomatoes and squish using a masher. Cover and let cook for 25 mins.
• Turn off the burner, add all spices, mix well and cover again. Let it sit to cool down at room temperature.
• Using a hand blender, lightly blend the cooked sauce. I like mine not too smooth. 

The goodness of all veggies you want to add in your family's diet is ready to be packed in a jar. Or even better, serve fresh over cooked pasta. This sauce was better tasting than any store bought pasta sauce. I can bet on it!

And here is my little one's bowl

Quinoa Amaranth Almond Porridge

As a toddler mom, the moment I wake up and leave my bed starts my rush hour that lasts for the rest of the day and the night. I always wanted and knew I would have a super active one and my wish has come true. Not to mention it's overwhelming but I would not have it any other way. I see several pinterest posts and youtube videos for toddler activities and get super excited to try them with my little one. The moment of truth hits when I start those with her and she is done in 5 mins and moves on to doing something completely different. I am still in the process of figuring out where are those calm, patient and listening to instruction kids in the videos found.

In this short time it is very clear to me that my little darling daughter is a foodie like me. She is not picky. But well, she totally knows her tastes well already. And is very unforgiving if her food does not taste good. Yeah, you got it right. She would not let me take shortcuts in preparing her meals. Huh..my little drama queen! But what else could I have expected. As a result, am constantly in the process of spinning up nutritious and flavor bursting foods. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I like to keep it that way for everyone. My pediatrician recommends engaging all food groups in one bowl for kids so they get the most from those few bites. That makes sense right? However, I cannot put variety of foods on her plate as they will all be sent flying up in the air. So mommy has to prepare a bowl full of superfoods. And am glad this recipe is no fail every single time. Talk about superfoods in a bowl and mine has everything and anything you can think of...TaDa!!

Quinoa, Amaranth, Almonds, Milk, Nut Butter and Dates

Yes that's the recipe friends. It's that simple:) I will add below few instructions for more clarity

Recipe

1 Tbsp quinoa, overnight soaked is better for faster cooking

1 Tbsp Amaranth (rajgira in hindi) seeds, puffed

1 Tbsp powdered almonds, or any nuts of your choice

1 tsp of your favorite nut butter

1 Tbsp of dates paste

1 cup of milk

• Add everything except the nut butter and dates paste in a bowl and bring to a boil. Let it simmer covered for 10-12 mins. 
• Turn off the stove and mix dates paste and nut butter.

You can mix and match the grains. nuts and nut butter of your choice. This porridge can never get boring. The texture is creamy and luxurious. Just what you want to wake up to every morning. I add dates and nut butter after turning off the heat to preserve maximum nutrients of these pure ingredients. And not to mention, this isn't just for kids. In my household, we all look forward to having this. Healthy breakfast is the best start of the day.