Fresh Pumpkin Spinach Tomato Sauce

Our neighbor gave us a big bowl of homegrown tomatoes that were the inspiration for this sauce, on a day I was planning on making a butternut squash dish. I ended up using pumpkin by mistake - I had cooked and pureed both a pumpkin and a butternut squash today, and didn't realized I'd added the pumpkin until I opened the fridge again to find the brighter-colored squash puree still sitting there. It turned out wonderfully anyway!

My toddler's unmixed plate.

Fresh Pumpkin Spinach Tomato Sauce

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped 

3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup tomato paste

4 cups fresh spinach

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp sage

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp marjoram

Salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast to taste

Saute onion and bell pepper, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown. Add seasonings, stir, then add tomatoes. Reduce head to medium-low. Add pumpkin, veggie broth, and tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is fully incorporated. Add the spinach. Once the spinach is wilted, add half the sauce to a blender and blend on low (you can also do this part with an immersion blender). Add back to the pot and stir until fully mixed. Serve over cooked noodles.

This recipe is NOT an adaptation :)

Lentil Marinara with Spaghetti Squash

1 cup dry red lentils

2 cups water

1 onion, chopped 

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp granulated or fresh garlic

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp no-salt seasoning

1 whole cooked spaghetti squash, deseeded and pulled out of skin

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Take all ingredients through no-salt seasoning, placing them in a pot. Boil, then simmer on low for 30 minutes.

Once the lentils are cooked through, add the cooked spaghetti squash and the balsamic vinegar. Stir thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a baked potato if desired.

Adapted from: https://tastespace.wordpress.com/2014/02/15/lentil-marinara-sauce-with-spaghetti-squash/