Vegetables can be a tough sell at the table, particularly if you’re serving little ones or picky eaters. This creamy and delicious pasta sauce blends together a nutrition-packed combination of vegetables and greens, while still tasting as mild and delicious as your run-of-the-mill sauce. The trick is roasting the vegetables, which caramelizes their natural sugars, making your final dish extra palatable. Carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes all pack a powerful antioxidant punch of beta carotene, lycopene and vitamins C and A. Superfoods kale and spinach go virtually undetected, while still providing iron, zinc and folate. Try serving this sauce on pizza for a new twist. 

Serves: 4-6

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 medium/large carrots, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Parmesan and fresh basil, to serve (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On 2 large baking sheets, toss the chopped vegetables together with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and spread into an even layer. 
2. Roast the vegetables for 30-35 minutes, until softened and slightly caramelized. 
3. In a blender or food processor, add ½ the roasted vegetables and ½ the can of tomatoes, and blend until completely smooth. Transfer this mix to a large pot, and repeat with the remaining roasted vegetables, canned tomatoes and the chopped kale and spinach, blending until totally smooth. 
4. Add this mix to the pot, and stir together both batches until combined. Add the heavy cream (if using), and season to taste with salt and pepper as needed. Serve tossed through cooked pasta, topped with parmesan and basil as desired.