Kripalu Recipes: Tomato-Basil Sauce

Seeing red is a good thing, if the red is on your plate. Research has found that the biological compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their color also provide various health benefits. For example, the red color you find in tomatoes and beets comes from specific phytochemicals—lycopene in tomatoes and anthocyanins in beets—that can help maintain heart health, lower the risk of certain types of cancer, and aid memory function. So, go ahead: see red and add some great health benefits to your diet.

Find out more about the healthy properties of colorful food.

Tomato-Basil Sauce

Preparation and cooking time 35 minutes.
Serves 4–6.

Ingredients
1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 cups diced onions
1½ tablespoons chopped garlic
4 cups canned tomato sauce or puree
4 cups canned whole plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions
In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic for 3–5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Stir in the tomato sauce. Crush the tomatoes by hand and add to the pot. Add the salt and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the basil and simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Source: The Kripalu Cookbook: Gourmet Vegetarian Recipes by Atma Jo Ann Levitt (Berkshire House Publishers). Available through the Kripalu Shop.

Find out more about the healthful properties of colorful food:

• "Fruits & Veggies—More Matters™," Produce for Better Health Foundation
• "Be healthier: Eat red, orange, and green foods," The Today Show: Today Take Charge
• "What Color Is Your Diet?" The Early Show Health Watch, CBSNews.com

Find more delicious and nutritious recipes in Kripalu Recipes.