One-Bowl Tomato Sauce with Kale, Raisins, and Walnuts

This recipe for tomato sauce is my go-to for easy one-bowl pasta dinners. Get tomatoes, kale, nuts, and fruit all in one super sauce. The chopped walnuts and chipotle make it hearty with very little fat and no cholesterol. Serve this super sauce tossed with hot whole-wheat rotini or other noodles. It’s also good ladled over gluten-free options such as quinoa, barley, or baked potatoes.

Active time: 20 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes. Serves 4. Vegan and gluten free.
Cost: $2.17 per serving using organic ingredients. Add organic whole-wheat pasta and top with nutritional yeast for a $2.37 meal.

1/4 teaspoon olive oil
1 small bunch kale, collards, or chard (about 8 ounces or 230 grams), stems and leaves separated and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried ground chipotle powder
one 32-ounce can crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted if possible
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1. In a large skillet or medium pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add chopped kale stems and onion. Stir to spread oil around bottom of skillet. Cook chopped onion and kale stems until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir garlic and chipotle powder into kale and onion mixture. Top with chopped kale leaves. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. (Water that clings to rinsed greens will add enough moisture to create steam.) Cook until greens are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring half-way through.
3. Add tomatoes, raisins, walnuts, and oregano. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes, until sauce is hot and flavors blended.
4. Serve hot tossed with hot whole-wheat noodles or over quinoa or a baked potato. Refrigerate any extra for up to 5 days. Sauce freezes well for up to a year.

Recipe notes

• For added protein and flavor, top with nutritional yeast.
• To save time, use frozen chopped kale or collards. Add the frozen greens when you add the tomato sauce and just simmer until tender.

Nutritional information for one serving of sauce (1/4 recipe)

Calories: 280

Protein 8 grams (17% daily value), total fat: 10 grams (15%), cholesterol 0 grams, total carbohydrates 42 grams (14%), dietary fiber 5 grams (20%)

Calcium 104 mg (10%), iron 3 mg (18%), potassium 952  mg (27%), zinc 1 mg (8%), Vitamin C 71 mg (119%), Vitamin A 6060 IU (121%), Vitamin B6 0.5 mg (25%), Thiamin B1 0.2 mg (13%), Riboflavin B2 0.2 mg (9%), Folacin 48 mcg (12%)