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You are here: Home / Posts / Weeknight Meal Solutions: Rich, Flavourful Tomato Sauce

September 17, 2014 By Alana 10 Comments

Weeknight Meal Solutions: Rich, Flavourful Tomato Sauce

As the weather gets a bit cooler… well at least in the evenings, I’ve found my self a little more excited to make dinner, so I will definitely be sharing more recipes over the next little while. With that said, this one in particular is great to make no matter the weather. It is, hands down, our favourite quick pasta dinner in our house. I hope you enjoy it too!

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. (464 g) of whole wheat penne – we love Kamut penne from a Spud.ca, but any will do!
  • The protein of your choice: 2-3 chicken breasts chicken, 10 oz. salmon, 10 oz. shrimp/ prawns work well, or a combination of the above
  • 1/2 tsp or more to taste of Montreal steak spice or a spice combination of your choice
  • 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil + more for pasta water, to oil saute pans
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1/4 medium onion, diced
  • (optional) 1/2 tsp of chili flakes
  • 1 can (approximately 400 ml) of all-natural tomato sauce
  • splash of milk
  • 1 tbs grated parmesean
  • 1 heaping tbs butter
  • 1 bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • approximately 8 spears of asparagus, roughly chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Put a large pot of seasoned water on high heat. A splash of olive oil will help keep your pasta from sticking together and to the bottom of the pan. While waiting for water to boil, preheat an oiled, medium-sized sauté on medium head. Cut protein into bite size pieces, and lightly season with seasoning mix. Cut vegetables, and in a medium-sized sauce pan, heat approximately 2 tbs of olive oil on medium heat. Dice garlic and onion. Place in sauce pan, lightly season with salt. Sauté until transluscent.If adding chili flakes, do so now.

Make sure your pasta is in. Cook for 11 minutes for el dante. Remove protein once it has reached desired doneness. I set aside on a plate, and then use this same pan, lightly oiled to sauté lightly seasoned peppers and asparagus. Reduce heat on onion, garlic mixture to low. Then, add tomato sauce. Stir in milk, grated parmesan. Let simmer until pasta, and veg are done. Then top sauce with butter, and season to taste. Combine protein, noodles, and veg. Then serve.

For anyone interested, I highly recommend having an Oil Spray Pump
As a result, I end up using less oil when sautéing; I love using it to grease my baking pans, and I know exactly what’s in it as opposed to some other cooking sprays.

Bonne appetite!

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. sylcell says

    September 17, 2014 at 11:51 pm

    Yum!

    Reply
  2. melissajane01 says

    September 18, 2014 at 8:47 pm

    This looks very good. I have been meaning to purchase an oil spray pump.

    Reply
    • Alana says

      September 21, 2014 at 4:00 pm

      Melissa, we received ours as an engagement present, and at around $10 it is one of the best, if not the best things in my kitchen. I use it so much.

      Reply
  3. threeboysandamom says

    September 20, 2014 at 5:17 am

    Looks delicious ☺

    Reply
  4. andthreetogo says

    September 21, 2014 at 12:46 am

    Looks delicious. I think I will have to have pasta tonight now. 🙂

    Reply
    • Alana says

      September 21, 2014 at 4:00 pm

      Hope you have a great dinner 🙂 Or had a great dinner!

      Reply
  5. Valerie says

    September 22, 2014 at 12:05 pm

    Wow, this looks amazing!
    P.S. I voted for ya!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      September 26, 2014 at 12:52 am

      Thanks so much, Valerie 🙂

      Reply
  6. workingmommagic says

    September 22, 2014 at 5:45 pm

    This looks delish! I love me some pasta!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Alana says

      September 26, 2014 at 12:53 am

      Haha. Me too! Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🙂

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Alana. When I'm not nursing cold, stale coffee, I usually can be found with the baby on my hip, barefoot, and racing after my two older kids. Thanks to a degree in psychology and a free-range childhood backing onto an expansive evergreen forest, positive parenting and play-based learning are my passions. Read more here.

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