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Home Made Tomato Sauce the Kids Will Actually Like

How many of you have kids that LOVE tomato sauce? My little girl Paige loves it and I'm not at all keen on the regular supermarket ones. I found it really interesting when I took Alex to Occupational Therapy (OT) aged about 6 for his food phobia and the OT actually suggested I try and get him to eat tomato sauce. Her reasoning was that it's a bridging food meaning that you can put tomato sauce on different meals and to fussy kids like Alex it helps new foods feel familiar and safe. I have got him eating it now but he's still not a huge fan - he just has it sometimes.

It's taken me a while to find a recipe I like, well that the kids and I both like, and is easy and cheap to make! I've modified a recipe I originally saw inDanielle Walker's book Against All Grain (aff link). I've changed the recipe a little to suit local ingredients and what my family like. I also prefer to make it in my Thermomix so I don't have to keep a close eye on it while it simmers. I've included the instructions for that too. I do saute the onions and garlic in the pan first because I prefer the richer flavour.

Home Made Tomato Sauce Recipe - Happy Tummies

Happy Tummies Tomato Sauce Recipe

Gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, soy free, refined sugar free

Ingredients:

1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 a brown onion, cut in half so you have 2 quarters
1 clove freshly crushed garlic
700g jar tomato passata (I use organic)
100g raw honey (or to taste)
80g gluten free vinegar
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
4 whole cloves
6 whole peppercorns

Method:

Place the coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, add the crushed garlic with a couple of minutes left so it doesn't burn.
Toss in all of the other ingredients and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for approx 40 minutes until it has reduced and you are happy with the consistency.
Pour the entire mixture through a sieve to remove the onion, garlic, whole cloves and peppercorns - do not be tempted to leave these in and puree - I have done this to not waste it and it changes the flavour (even just the onion).
Pour into sterilized jars and store in the fridge until ready to use

Thermomix Method:

Place the coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, add the crushed garlic with a couple of minutes left so it doesn't burn.
Place the onion, garlic, whole cloves and peppercorns into your Thermomix basket. Place all of the all of the other ingredients into your Thermomix, pop the basket in and cook on speed 4, 100 degrees for 40 mins with the MC off. Occasionally stir the basket contents around with your spatula.
Remove the basket and get as much of the tomato sauce into the Thermomix bowl and discard the onion mixture - I use a spoon and stir it around.
Pour into sterilized jars and store in the fridge until ready to use.

There you have it! Simple, yummy and if my kids like it, yours will for sure!

Just a tip on sterilising the jars if you're making the sauce in a Thermomix
I pop my jars in the Varoma while the sauce is cooking. Even though the Thermomix isn't on Varoma heat I feel like it's long enough that the jars are clean. I've never had a problem with storage, it gets eaten pretty quickly anyway!

If you're struggling with a fussy eater like me we have a couple of really good books with some great ideas at Happy Tummies. I found Food Chaining to be an excellent read and it gave me lots of ideas to help my son. More Peas Please is also fantastic and this one was recommended to me by Alex's dietitian a couple of years ago.

Thanks to Priya fromPeacocks and Paisleys for the beautiful napkin I used in my image above. They have a lovely range of napkins, tablecloths, bedlinen and more!