Spaghetti Sauce with Hidden Veggies

A perfect addition to pasta, chicken or fish, this thick, tasty marinara sauce manages to pack in a ton of veggies while satisfying even the pickiest eater’s appetite.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup grated carrot
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 2/3 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (28 ounce) can peeled and crushed tomatoes, with liquid

Directions

1. In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine olive oil, onion, garlic, carrot, spinach, tomato paste, mushrooms, salt, oregano, basil, bay leaves and tomatoes.
2. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Stir, reduce heat to low and cook for 1 to 2 hours more.
3. Serve with whole wheat pasta, ravioli or salmon or chicken breast. Tip: If your kids are finicky about “lumps,” throw the sauce into a blender or food processor before serving (remove bay leaves first).