Recipe: Healthy and Hearty Pasta Sauce (using bell pepper, carrot, mushrooms and zucchini)

HEALTHY AND HEARTY PASTA SAUCE

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 large onion
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded
1 carrot
8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned
1 medium zucchini, with skin on
6 pounds plum tomatoes, seeded with skin on
1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons dried Italian spices (or to taste)
2 pounds ground turkey, browned (optional)

In a large nonstick stock pot, place olive oil and garlic and simmer at low temperature.

Chop finely or put through a food processor onion, bell pepper, carrot, mushrooms and zucchini. Add vegetables to garlic in stock pot.

Chop finely plum tomatoes or put through a food processor. Add to stock pot along with canned tomatoes or sauce, cheeses and spices.

Cook on medium-low 3 to 4 hours. If desired, add ground turkey and continue cooking until cooked down and thoroughly heated, 2 more hours.

Serve with your favorite pasta and use leftover sauce on homemade pizza.

Makes 24 servings
Adapted from source: Lynn Rivers, Glenville, Albany Times-Union, November 3, 2004