Nut-Allergy Friendly Dinner: Pasta with Homemade Sauce

By now all of us are in full swing of school, homework, extra-curricular activities and of course, Halloween preparation. With work of my own to do and two kids on the go, I like to have some healthy, tasty and relatively easy meals in my arsenal.

This is a busy time of year, but we we've still got to eat dinner! So I thought I would repost one of my family's favorite week night meals:  pasta with homemade sauce. Besides being fresher-tasting, a homemade sauce is a great food allergy-friendly option because we know exactly what goes into it. Plus, making pasta sauce can be very relaxing after a long day. Once the meat is cooked, you just let it simmer, stir it occasionally and let the great cooking smells fill the house.

This sauce is wonderful to freeze and defrost on those super-busy nights. Occasionally, I make the sauce in the morning, put it in the slow cooker on low and then cook the pasta in the evening. The sauce--the hard part--is already completed and the flavor benefits from the long simmer in the slow cooker.

If you're looking for a meal to fill little tummies before Trick or Treating (cutting down on candy temptation until you can either vet or turn in the candy for safe treats), may I suggest this?
 
Here's my recipe for my favorite pasta sauce. The sauce has ground beef; if you want to go meatless, this recipe is still good. Or add some crumbled, cooked Italian sausage if you enjoy that flavor. As with any pasta sauce, the longer you simmer this, the better it gets. It's even better the next day. You can double the recipe for a larger family. Enjoy!

Nut-Free Mom's Weeknight Pasta Sauce

1 lb. ground beef (I use Laura's Organic ground round)
A couple tablespoons olive oil
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
4 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 tsp (or less if you like less heat) red pepper flakes
1/2 medium yellow onion
1 cup low-sodium beef broth (I use Swanson's organic beef broth or stock)
A couple glugs of orange juice (if serving adults only, add some red wine)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (I use Hunt's Natural)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (I use Hunt's)
About 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley or to taste
1/4 cup shredded basil or a couple tsp dried
1 tsp dried oregano
Grated fresh Parmesan for serving (optional)

Heat olive oil in pan and add beef. Season meat with black pepper and brown in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper and oregano. While this is cooking, grate onion into meat mixture using a hand grater. Cook a few minutes to soften the onion, then add broth and wine or OJ. Stir pan and deglaze, incorporating any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add tomatoes and half the parsley and basil. Stir again, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. (You can do this while you boil water and cook pasta). Right before serving, sprinkle with rest of parsley and basil. Serve with your favorite pasta. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan, if using.

Makes 4 good-sized servings.

Food Allergy-Friendly Recipe for the March Heat Wave: Pasta with No-Cook Sauce

Are you part of the "March Madness" heat wave that is sweeping the country? If so (or if you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate), I've got a great family recipe to share.

Usually, I don't make this recipe until the summer, but with 86 degree high temps in Chicago today, this is making an early appearance on the family menu.

No-cook pasta sauces taste fresh and delicious and they are SO easy. What more could a busy parent ask for?

Please note that you can alter this recipe to accommodate additional allergies, such as dairy or wheat by using gluten-free pasta and skipping the addition of mozzarella. The combination of fresh tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and basil is so delicious all on its own.

I find that this sauce is a great way to get kids to eat some healthy vegetables (well, tomatoes are officially a fruit, but you know what I mean.) Enjoy this "summer" recipe before the heat wave is over!

Nut-Free Mom's No-Cook Pasta Sauce
About 6 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
Fresh basil leaves to taste (but don't be skimpy, they add so much flavor)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed, or boccacini (fresh mozzarella balls), optional
A couple of good dashes of olive oil (I use Colavita)
Dash of wine vinegar (or I sometimes use apple cider vinegar, which can be more appealing to kid palates)
Fresh garlic to taste, 1 or 2 cloves, pressed
1 tsp. fine sea salt (Morton's makes this) or regular salt
Coarse black pepper to taste
Freshly shaved Parmesan to garnish, optional

16 oz. package pasta of your choice--penne is especially nice

Combine all ingredients except pasta in a large bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour so that flavors can blend.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, then toss immediately with "sauce" and serve.

Makes 4, good-sized main dish servings.

Nut-Free, Food Allergy-Friendly Summer Recipes: Fresh Pasta Sauce and Stuffed Bell Peppers

What's for dinner? That is the question, especially when caring for kids with food allergies. Since it's full summer and we have garden-fresh vegetables from our own gardens, farmer's markets and even the supermarket, I thought I would share two family favorites. Both of these recipes, Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Stuffed Bell Peppers are a great way to get your kids to eat vegetables and both are nut-free, of course. They can also be made dairy-free and if you use gluten-free pasta, they can be gluten-free.

My kids love herbs, vegetables and garlic, but if you're feeding very young children or picky eaters, you can go easier on some of the seasonings; just be sure not to skimp on the salt and pepper.

I hope you enjoy these easy main dishes as much as my family has.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

This is an uncooked sauce that you place on hot pasta and it can be pulled together literally in minutes. It is so refreshing on a hot summer evening and if you can involve your kids in picking the tomatoes and/or basil from the garden, all the better. My kids seem to enjoy their food more if they're involved in the process. This recipe is adapted from one I saw in Real Simple Magazine a couple of years ago.

Serves 4

Ingredients
12 ounces linguine or pasta of your choice
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes (plum or beefsteak work well), quartered
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce) (Skip the cheese if you are dealing with dairy allergies.)

Directions
1.Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2.Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes, oil, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
3.Toss the pasta with the tomato sauce and half the basil. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining basil and serve.

Stuffed Bell Peppers
In the summer months, I like to use ground turkey in this dish because it tastes lighter. And it's healthier, too, but the ground beef version is delicious. This is typical of a dish that would be served as an appetizer in our favorite Greek restaurant, but with a salad and bread it makes a full meal. If you like (and can serve dairy to your kids) a sprinkle of cheese at the end of cooking is a nice option. Without is great, too. In fact, that's my preference.


Ingredients:
6 large bell peppers, (green, red, yellow, orange or a combo),
cleaned, cored and seeded
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 cup cooked rice (I use brown rice--if you use the Uncle Ben's Whole Grain rice (in the orange envelope) for the microwave, this recipe is even faster and easier!)
1 15-oz can of organic or natural tomato sauce
Oregano, fresh basil to taste
Shredded mozzarella or Parmesan, feta or other hard Greek cheese, if you like

In a large pot, bring about 5 cups of water to a boil and add salt to taste. Cook the peppers in boiling water for about 5 minutes; drain. For added flavor, sprinkle the bottoms of the peppers with a little salt and sugar (to boost sweetness of peppers.)

In a medium skillet, brown the meat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Drain the fat. Stir in salt, garlic, rice and 1 cup of the tomato sauce and heat through to blend flavors. Add oregano and fresh Basil if using and mix lightly.

Lightly stuff each pepper evenly with meat mixture. Stand the peppers upright in an ungreased baking dish, at least 8-inch square. Pour remaining tomato sauce over the peppers. Cover with foil or a glass cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. If using cheese, sprinkle on top. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.

Makes 6 servings.