Pasta Noodles with homemade Marinara Sauce

One great thing about my kids is that they appreciate homemade stuff.   I appreciate my husbands patience in cutting vegetables right on the morning.   It will be a team cooking in my kitchen every day morning at 6:30AM to pack my daughters lunch at 7:05!   Food is made fresh including the sauce right then!   Food has a life and even vegetables should not be left cut for hours before using up. We grew up eating fresh food and so does my kids!

What you need?

Onion 1

Tomato puree - 1 cup or Tomato concentrate Paste - 4 Tbsp

Italian seasoning - 1.5 tsp

Pepper - 2 tsp

Any cooking Oil - 1 Tbsp (I use mustard oil)

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (optional)

Sugar/Jaggery - 1 tsp

Shredded Veggies of choice - 1.5 cups ( I used Carrot, Potatoes, Purple Cabbage, Broccoli, peas, olives and Jalepenos)

Durum wheat noodles - 25 strands (approx)

Tilamook Cheddar Cheeese shredded - 1 cup (Its a vegeterian choice)

Lemon zest - 1/2 tsp

How to make?

First Lets make Marinara/Tomato Sauce!

Chop onion fine 2-3 inch long

In case of using mustard oil, allow to come to smoke point then simmer the stove, Crush the italian seasoning between your palm and put them on oil, Add pepper powder and then onion.  Add salt and saute for 3-4 mins till onion is transculent

Add Tomato puree,(in case using tomato paste, add a cup of water) and mix everything together and let it cook together for about 5 mins.   Add jaggery and let it simmer for another 5 mins.

Next, 

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add salt and Wheat noodles (use the cooking instructions on the packing for perfect  results)

Once cooked, sieve the noodles saving some water.

Now, Mix the sauce, cooked noodles and raw veggies and lemon zest in the pot and let them all talk together for about 10-12 mins.

I typically steam the veggies to save time or cook with the pasta and not waste any of the pasta water.

Top it with shredded cheese, it will melt and beautifully set for lunch as you see below!  My daughter took this pic before having her lunch!