A Food Addiction Recovery Kitchen Staple
If you are working a food plan in food addiction recovery, you already know that a little preparation can make following that plan so much easier. I am a big fan of having a few basic foods ready to go in my kitchen, not because I need to figure out what to eat when I’m hungry, but because I already know what I’m eating. The food plan gives me structure. The preparation helps me put it all into place.
And then there is the aroma. Ohhhh that delicious smell!
The aroma of a simmering pot of sauce that can make your whole kitchen feel like Nonna’s house on a Sunday afternoon. You know that vibe: the kind that seems to travel through the house and announces that something good is happening in the kitchen. It is warm, savory, comforting, and somehow makes a regular day feel a bit more special.
I love that we can experience that kind of joyful memory in an abstinent kitchen, too. Recovery does not require us to strip all of the pleasure, creativity, and comfort out of our cooking. We can still make food that smells amazing, fills the house with wonderful aromas, and give ourselves something to look forward to at mealtime. We simply do it within the structure of our own food plans.
This homemade marinara sauce is one of those little kitchen helpers that can make a planned meal come together with very little fuss. It is ridiculously simple and homemade with ingredients that work beautifully in an abstinent kitchen. There is nothing complicated about it, and that is exactly the point. I want food that supports my recovery without requiring me to turn every meal into an afternoon-long cooking project.
I love having a batch of this marinara on hand because it is incredibly versatile. I can use it in our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna dish, spread it on our Ezekiel Tortilla Pizza, or pair it with our Abstinent Meatballs for another meal that fits into my food plan. One sauce can give me several completely different meals, which makes food planning feel a whole lot easier.
And this is one of those recipes that is easy, and worth it to make a little extra. You can easily double the recipe without much effort. Marinara freezes beautifully, so you can portion it out and have some waiting in the freezer for another planned meal. If you enjoy preserving food, you could also can our marinara using a tested, food-safe canning method. Either way, making a larger batch means that future-you gets to open the refrigerator or freezer and think “oh, good, I already did this.”
That little bit of preparation is something I have learned to appreciate in recovery. My food plan gives me the boundaries and structure I need, but I still get to have fun with my food. I can make a homemade sauce, build different meals around it, and enjoy what I am eating without turning food into the center of the universe again.
So on a slow day at home when you have some time for meal prep, make a batch, allow your kitchen smell ridiculously good, tuck away some sauce for later, and give future-you a little give from past-you. Your future planned meals will thank you.
Marinara Sauce
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Diet: Abstinent
Description
Having homemade marinara in my freezer is one of those little things that makes following my food plan easier. I know exactly what’s in it, I can make it ahead for planned meals, and I can pull it out when I need it. This is a simple recipe, versatile, and full of flavor—perfect for Spaghetti Squash Lasagna, Ezekiel Tortilla Pizza, Abstinent Meatballs, and so many other meals in my recovery kitchen.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil – a large drizzle
- 3–4 whole fresh garlic cloves, peeled and smashed but still whole (please do not use garlic in a jar)
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2–3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp each: dried basil, dried oregano, dried italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, drizzle in olive oil and heat over medium heat.
- Add in the garlic cloves and heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. (Do not let them burn!). Remove garlic cloves and discard or set aside for another purpose.
- Into the garlic oil remaining in the saucepan, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and spices. Be warned, this will splatter. Stir well to combine and loosely cover the pan with the lid slightly tilted off-center.
- Allow the sauce to come to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and let simmer 15-20 minutes or longer. This can simmer all day, just like Nonna’s sauce did, and the flavors will just enhance themselves.
Notes
- Variations: Add cooked meatballs, spicy chicken sausage, ground beef or turkey, or leftover roast to this sauce to enhance the flavor profile and increase the protein.
- Refrigerator: Store cooled marinara in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in meal-sized portions for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely before freezing and leave a little room in the container for expansion.
- Thawing: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or gently reheat from frozen in a saucepan over low heat. Add a small splash of water if the sauce seems too thick.
- Make ahead: This is a great recipe to prepare ahead when you are doing your weekly food planning. Make a batch once and you have a homemade sauce ready for several planned meals.
- Flavor: The longer it gently simmers, the more developed the flavor becomes. If you have the time, let it hang out on the stove a little longer and enjoy the way it makes your kitchen smell.
- Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Recipe
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One response to “Marinara Sauce”
[…] is it about a bubbling casserole layered with a homemade marinara sauce, roasted vegetables, spicy sausage or ground meat, creamy ricotta, and Parmesan that just takes me […]