Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

Sometimes I go to the grocery store and come out with way too much food. It isn’t that I went to the grocery store hungry and stocked up on junk food and it isn’t that there was an especially good deal on radishes that I just couldn’t resist…

It’s more that I get a little food-cocky.  You know, the kind of cocky that leads one to splurge on purple and white onions in the same grocery trip. Wild.  Broccoli and cauliflower in the same week!  Hold me back.  Red and green bell peppers.

And then I get home and realize that I’m only cooking for two people.  And on the Tuesday after my Saturday grocery shopping trip, I get a little stressed out.  All those veggies bought at the peak of their freshness are in jeopardy of losing their glint and glimmer.  And then I panic.

The Omnivore knows to stay out of the kitchen at this time.  As if there is even room for another breathing being in there – what with the food processor, stand mixer, and blender churning simultaneously, it’s a regular war-zone.

So what saves the day?  Sauce.  You can transform your veggies, purchased at the ultimate peak of freshness into a completely gratifying and flavor-locking sauce to be used later in the week.  Phew.  Crisis averted.  Next?

One Year Ago: Wow! A Different Roasted Red Pepper sauce!

Spicy Red Pepper Sauce (two servings, adapted from here)
1/4 cup white onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 large red pepper, roasted (do not substitute jarred!)
-how to roast a pepper
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you reach your desired consistency. Simmer stove top for 10 minutes and then serve.

Per serving
Calories 71.7
Total Fat 0.2 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 377.8 mg
Potassium 188.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 17.0 g
Protein 2.7 g