Sugar-Free Pasta Sauce Recipe

This recipe for pasta sauce (i.e. spaghetti sauce) is very easy! Not only is it sugar free, it can also be fat-free (if you leave out the meat). And, as if that weren't enough, it's absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:

a 28 oz. can	crushed tomatoes	800 ml. can
½ tsp	tarragon	2 - 3 ml
½ tsp	nutmeg	2 - 3 ml

Optional:

1 lb.	lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey	450 - 500 gms
1	large onion
3	garlic cloves
½ tsp	oregano	2 - 3 ml
½ tsp	basil	2 - 3 ml
1 tsp	curry powder	5 ml
¼ tsp	pepper	1 - 2 ml
1 tsp	salt	5 ml

Notes:

Meat, onions, and garlic: if you omit these items, your pasta sauce/spaghetti sauce will be fat-free. If you leave out the meat, but want to include the onions and garlic, you will need to put 2 - 4 tablespoons (30 - 60 ml) of cooking oil (such as olive oil) into the pan before you add the onions and garlic.
Crushed tomatoes: you can use canned diced tomatoes, or you can chop up fresh tomatoes (preferably Roma tomatoes). For fresh tomatoes you need almost 2 pounds (around 1 kg). You can also use a large can of tomato sauce, but make sure you buy one without sugar. Most canned tomato sauces have sugar added, so read the list of ingredients carefully. The only brand I know of which does NOT have sugar is Hunt's (Original) Tomato Sauce.
Garlic: instead of garlic cloves, you can use about 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of garlic powder.
Curry powder and pepper: this makes the pasta sauce spicy. Without it, you still have a great-tasting pasta sauce, but it has no "bite" to it.

Directions:

Use a large saucepan, or a large, deep frying pan. Place pan on stove and turn up heat to medium.
If you are making the sauce with meat, place ground meat in pan and brown it, turning regularly. This takes about 10 - 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel and chop onion and garlic.
When most of the meat is browned, add the chopped onion and garlic cloves. Cook on medium or medium-low heat until onion is transparent (about 15 minutes).
If you are using curry powder, add this and stir it around for a minute or two.
Add all the rest of the ingredients, and cover pan.
Cook on medium-low or low heat for about 20 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This recipe makes about 4 servings of delicious pasta sauce.

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Disclaimer: while these hints are the result of years of experience and/or lots of research, in the end they are just my personal opinion. If you try something I suggest and it doesn't work, please don't sue me &mdash I guarantee nothing. Best of luck!