This week I FINALLY made marinara sauce. Spaghetti and meatballs is a staple in our house and a go-to meal when things get busy. I will prepare this meal about once a week (and I say "prepare" but I mean "microwave" and "empty the jar into the pot").
However, marinara sauce can be very salty and, when checking the label, contains about 2 g of sugar per serving. Sugar in marinara sauce is common; sugar can be one of the ingredients in from-scratch recipes since some people don't like the acidity in the tomatoes.
I used a recipe that you can find at http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes/Recipe/Everyday-Marinara-Sauce.aspx. I made some minor alterations, though. It calls for carrots and celery and onions (a traditional mirepoix which can be the base flavor for many dishes). However, I was stealthy and was able to include some additional veggies without the kids knowing: I added green peppers and mushrooms. I actually almost doubled the amount of vegetables called for in the recipe. I used the agave nectar instead of honey so that there wouldn't be any strange flavors.
The kids ate it happily and then I broke the news...only when I said they were eating mushrooms did they make a face. Of course. But they still ate it. And I still have some leftover for lunch this week. And I still have some frozen for next week when DH gets to try it. The only thing I might do differently is try to get it a little thicker, either with additional tomato paste or by simmering it a bit longer. I may try some different recipes as well; I would think that it would be fairly easy to turn any marinara recipe into a clean-eating recipe. No sugar, low salt. The rest is all veggies! Sounds clean to me.
You should try it and see how your family likes it. Tonight we get to try Tuscan Soup (Ribbolita). Had to use the kale I got in our CSA box and this is a GREAT way to hide it. Now I just have to forget that it is 105 degrees outside while I eat my soup.
Good luck to you!
--Katie
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