Quick & Easy Pasta with Homemade Sauce

This is my go-to pasta recipe, especially when it's a weeknight and I don't have time after work to cook up a storm :). I really like to make my own pasta sauces so that I know exactly what ingredients are in it and how much of everything. With jarred sauce you risk high levels or sodium, sugar, etc. The sauce below is so easy that you can pretty much cook it up as quickly as you would warm up a jar of sauce.
There's not right or wrong on ingredients and measurements here, it's really more of a method that consists of the below. The other great thing is that you just use whatever vegetables and protein you already have in your refrigerator and want to use up and don't have to worry about making a stop at the store for fancy ingredients.

The Method:

• Sauce
•  Tomatoes, chopped (2-3 per person)
• Garlic, chopped (for four servings I would use 2-3 cloves)
• Olive oil 
• Vegetables, chopped
• Anything you have on hand and want to use up
• Spinach or a leafy green 
• Protein (optional)
• Shrimp, chicken, Italian sausage, fish, etc. 
• Whole Grain Pasta (follow the recommended servings on the package)

Directions:

Get your pasta water boiling and pasta cooking at about the same time you start the sauce below... this will all happen quickly!

Heat (at about medium-low heat) a layer of olive oil (enough to cover the pan) in a skillet. Once the oil has heated add the chopped garlic. The idea here is to just brown it slightly; watch this carefully to make sure it doesn't burn (which can happen fast and you will smell it!). Once the garlic browns, add all of the chopped tomatoes and stir. This will now start to simmer, add salt and pepper to season. And there you have your sauce!

Next add in your chopped vegetables and let those become tender with the tomato sauce. Lastly add in your protein. If you're adding something like chicken or sausage I would cook those separately, perhaps on the grill or grill pan. If you’re adding in raw shrimp, that could cook in the sauce.

The amount of simmering is up to you. If you want a chunky tomato sauce then you won't cook for very long. If you want a brothier sauce then you can add wine or stock to make it more of a "soup". There’s no wrong way to do it!

Lastly, play around with seasonings. If you like spice go ahead and add in red pepper flakes. The great thing about this sauce/dish is you can edit it and change it up however you like!

When your sauce is ready and pasta is al dente, transfer the pasta (no water) to the skillet and mix together. If you feel that the sauce is too thick then feel free to add some pasta water. The last step here is to throw in a few handfuls of spinach or other leafy green for a little more nutrition. Let that briefly wilt and you are good to go!

Serve with bread and Parmesan and enjoy!