Sarah Butler: This hidden-veggie pasta sauce is a winner for parents of fussy eaters

Plus: roast chicken with homemade gravy

My hidden-vegetable sauce has six vegetables; it’s blended into a smooth tomato-based sauce, so the kids are none the wiser and gobble it up.

Most parents have had their share of struggles with fussy eaters at some point, and trying to get vegetables into kids is a daily struggle. 

My hidden-vegetable sauce has six vegetables; it’s blended into a smooth tomato-based sauce, so the kids are none the wiser and gobble it up. 

So many packet and jar sauces contain additives and sugar, so this is a healthier swap. 

I keep mine in a jam jar in the fridge for up to a week. 

Add it to cooked pasta; if you have any cooked chicken, you can add that in too. Having a batch made for the week ahead is a little lifesaver.

I love to roast some chicken breasts midweek on a bed of vegetables that transforms into the most glorious homemade gravy. 

Learning to make your own gravy is one of the best things in food; again, there are no additives or sugar, and it is much lower in salt than packet gravy, and the taste is unmatched. 

Use lots of vegetables for the best flavour, a spoon of flour and a little stock or water, and you have liquid gold from your roast chicken breasts. Everything is made in one tin, so there is little clean-up, too, which is always a bonus.

I usually cook a few extra chicken breasts, so have extra meat to make sandwiches for the kid’s lunchboxes or to add to this pasta sauce for a quick midweek meal.

This week, try the veggie sauce; the whole family will love it. Roasts are not just for Sundays, a wholesome midweek meal everybody loves.

Hidden-Veggie Pasta Sauce

recipe by:Sarah Butler

This special sauce has received rave reviews and reduced mealtime stress in so many homes. The trick is to blend the vegetables into a smooth, flavorful base, making them virtually undetectable in dishes like pasta and used as a pizza base.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 200g tomatoes, quartered

• 1 small white onion

• 1 celery stick, cubed into ½ inch pieces

• 1 carrot, cubed into ¼ inch pieces

• 1 red pepper, cubed into ½ inch pieces

• 3 garlic cloves, halved

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp butter, melted

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• Handful of fresh basil and parsle or 1 tbsp dried herbs like basil, thyme, oregano, or parsley

• Dash of fresh cream (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas 6.

2. Combine the tomatoes, onion, celery, courgette, carrot, pepper and garlic in a large bowl. Coat everything well with the olive oil and butter.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread the vegetables evenly on a baking tray, spacing them out as much as possible, ensuring they don’t overlap.

5. Roast for 25 minutes covered in tin foil until everything is softened and a fork removes easily when inserted into them. If they need a little more time to soften, roast for an additional 5-10 minutes.

6. Place the vegetables in a deep jug with the tomato purée, basil and parsley.

7. Blend with a stick blender until smooth. Pour in a little water to thin the sauce if you prefer a thinner consistency. Season to taste.

8. Serve with cooked pasta or use as a pizza base sauce.

9. Sarah's secretsAdd cooked chicken or crispy bacon to this pasta sauce to get a little protein in.

10. I also love to spread this in on top of bagels with grated cheddar and grill for a tasty after-school snack.

11. If you have any sauce leftover, it will keep in a jam jar for 5 days refrigerated. It is handy to have to add to cooked pasta on those busy days.

Sarah's secrets

Add cooked chicken or crispy bacon to this pasta sauce to get a little protein in.

I also love to spread this in on top of bagels with grated cheddar and grill for a tasty after-school snack.

If you have any sauce left over, it will keep in a jam jar for 5 days refrigerated. It is handy to have to add to cooked pasta on those busy days.

Roast Chicken with Homemade Gravy

recipe by:Sarah Butler

Roast chicken is not just for Sunday. It can be a wholesome, healthy meal perfect for family dinners any day of the week. I prefer to use chicken breasts over a whole chicken as I can cook extra for lunchbox sandwiches and to add to pasta dishes on busy d

Servings

5

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 1 hours 20 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 25 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, skin on

• 1 onion, halved

• 2 carrots, roughly chopped

• 1 celery stick. roughly chopped

• 1 lemon halved

• 1 tbsp fresh herbs like thyme, sage or rosemary or a mix of all three

• 30g butter, melted

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• For the gravy:

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• 250ml chicken stock

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C/ fan 170°C/gas 5.

2. Place all the vegetables on the base of a metal roasting tin.

3. Lay the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Place the melted butter and olive oil in a small jug and drizzle over the chicken, coating it well. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cover the roasting tin with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes.

5. After 25 minutes remove the tin foil and roast for 10 minutes more until the skin is golden.

6. Carefully remove the chicken from the tin, place on a chopping board, and allow to rest, covered loosely in foil for 15-20 minutes.

7. While the chicken is resting, make the gravy.

8. Place the roasting tin over a low flame. Stir in the flour and use a fork to mix the flour with the vegetables and juices.

9. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock, stirring constantly until you have a thickened sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes, scrape any sticky bits from the tin with a spoon and mix into the gravy.

10. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan, then simmer and season to taste.

Sarah's secrets

A bed of vegetables and fresh herbs make for the tastiest gravy so be sure not to skimp here. 

A metal roasting tin is also essential for a great gravy. Scrape off those stuck on burnt bits as this is where all the flavour lies. 

Freeze any leftover gravy. Reheat gently in a pot and serve with some roast chicken breasts on a busy day.