Chunky Marinara Phase 1

I love pasta. I LOVE pasta! I swear I must be part Italian. Spaghetti and Meatballs is the one thing I crave most, even though we eat pasta once a week. 

Sometimes I make meatballs for this. Sometimes I just brown some ground beef or turkey and make a meat sauce. Either way, it just fine. 

On FMD, I like to get as many veggies as possible into my body. Sometimes I dice everything fine, sometimes I rough chop. Do it how you want. You could even blend it all up when it is done to make a smoother sauce. It is all up to you. 
While a super simple marinara is good and all, I usually feel the need to have a chunky veggie filled sauce to sooth my soul.
Here it is:

Chunky Marinara
Phase 1
Makes 4 servings

1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded zucchini
2 cups diced bell pepper
1 cup diced onion
2 cups diced tomato
2T tomato paste
1 cup chicken or beef stock
1 cup tomato puree
3-4 minced garlic cloves
1-2T dried parsley, OR 3T fresh chopped parsley
1-2T dried basil, OR 3-4T fresh chopped basil
1T dried oregano, OR 2T fresh oregano leaves chopped
1/2tsp dried thyme, OR 2-3 fresh thyme stems, leaves stripped off
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

In non stick pan, saute onion, garlic and salt in a couple tablespoons of stock. Add carrot and cook until onions are soft. Stir in zucchini, bell pepper, and cook a couple of minutes. Add tomato paste- stir for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes, puree and stock. Bring to just under a boil, add black pepper, red pepper flakes and herbs. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. 
If you are using meatballs- add them in now.
If you are using ground beef- brown and add to the sauce.

Serve over brown rice pasta.  This sauce is veggies, so it is unlimited.