Roasted Heirloom Tomato Marinara Sauce

My hubby works for a really awesome company who look after their employees very well.  One perk his company offers it's employees is they can have care for a veggie patch on campus and keep what it produces.  He's only been there about 6 months but lucked out taking-over a patch from a colleague going on maternity leave.  The patch is little and he only planted tomato's this year, but WOW I couldn't believe what it has produced so far!  He's been bringing home a good haul of Heirloom and cherry tomatoes (we joke that daddy brings home the tomatoes not bacon) every week for 3 weeks now.

What do we do with this many heirloom tomatoes? (and more to come)

Straight from the garden

Naturally, I turned to Pinterest looking for a great sauce using heirloom tomatoes.  It needed to be easy, quick, and yummy! The first recipe I found sounded amazing, looked super easy and used heirloom tomatoes...PERFECT I LOVE PINTEREST!  I also loved that this recipe recommended roasting the tomatoes for an even sweeter taste. 

You can find the recipe I used here which was created by Sally Cameron, chef and health coach from A Food Centric Life.

Here is my go at Roasted Tomato Marinara Sauce with Garlic and Oregano.

We chopped up the tomatoes, onion and garlic as directed but we also added red and yellow peppers then threw in the oregano, salt and pepper.

Added the olive oil and wine of course. This house is never short on red wine and this one just happened to be open that day.

Mixed it all together and put it in the pan.  I'm lucky we were at the in-laws this weekend and I got to use all my MIL's fancy cookware.  I love this roasting pan!

 Peeking and stirring after 45mins of roasting...the smell is AMAZING!

 I was so excited I forgot to take photos of it all done roasting and of it in the Vitamix.

Finally the finished product (in vacuum sealed freezer bags).

We froze 3 packs, however opened one a few days later as we couldn't wait to try the sauce.

All I have to say is Best sauce I have ever had, YUMMY!  

There is nothing like veggies fresh from the garden or homemade food.  So simple and so real!

A few variations we have tried since the first batch.
#1- Omitted the salt and used chicken stock so the baby can have some once he's eating solids.
#2- Used cherry tomatoes as well, they popped and squirted when roasted, and made the taste so good!
#3- Pureed longer and higher in the Vitamix, the seeds were then non-existent (know real sauce has no seeds but we didn't mind)


Leave a comment and let me know how much you loved this sauce and all your variations!

Gluten-Free at the CNE

After I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease a year ago (and got over my denial of the dangers of consuming any gluten in my diet) I discovered how careful I need to be about what and where I eat.   At first I was just trying to eat GF as much as I could until my doctor explained the dangers this way... "If there is nothing gluten-free then you just don't eat, it's that simple" and that serious.  

I am a self proclaimed food addict, I don't like lots of different foods (I'm getting way better) but I LOVE food, so not eating is not an option for me.  I love food so much that I tell people, "My hubby eats so he can work-out, I work-out so I can eat" and I work-out a lot!  I love to be able to go out for a nice meal with hubby and friends but it is tough.  Some restaurants offer lots of GF options and others offer NONE!  Yeah I know, how is that possible this day-in-age.  

A few weeks ago my mom and I were having a discussion about Gluten-Free options at restaurants and she mentioned she felt that there really it's not a big enough demand for most restaurants to offer that many Gluten-Free options.  This got me thinking...

Would more people go to specific restaurants if they knew there were LOTS of options for allergen-free foods?  
Would more companies offer MORE allergen-free foods if they knew more people would eat there?

I think yes to both, but it's one of those chicken or egg came first kinda deals.  I am always trying to find restaurants with GF options and when I find them I typically keep going back.  

Today I found a really great website and Blog created by Jax, a Certified Holistic Nutritionist living in Toronto who was diagnosed with Celiac 6 years ago. 

 Gluten Free Ontario is a fantastic resource for finding GF options across Ontario.  She lists all kinds of restaurants that offer GF options across Ontario (Canada) on the website and on her Blog she has all kinds of contests, information and ideas for GF options!  I'll be back to this one for sure!

Jax also has a fantastic post about GF options and restaurants which is totally worth a read.  See Why Boston Pizza had to pull their gluten-free menu and how the 'WHY' will effect GF options everywhere.  

Specifically what I thought was really great was a list outlining which food vendors at the CNE offered options for all the different dietary restrictions.  See the list for CNE Food Building Dietary Restrictions and check out her blog for more posts on gluten-free food options at various tourist attractions across Ontario. 

What restaurants offering GF options are your fav's and which GF dishes are your go-to's when there is not much to choose from. 

The Beginning of Real and Simple

As I sit here(heart pounding, hands shaking and fingers missing the correct keys) I write my first blog post.  This is an idea I have been toying with for a while but very afraid to jump into.  I'm not sure what made me think this was the time but hey, right now is as best a time as any I guess.  

My purpose for this Blog is just a place where I can write about my adventures (or misadventures) with trying to change the way my family lives, eats and plays. 

Why did I decide to change all of this you ask? 

About 2 years ago I began learning that everything I thought I knew about nutrition, health and everyday products was completely backwards and just out-right WRONG!  When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease my research into a Gluten-Free life opened my eyes to a world of alternative nutrition.  And the birth of my first baby led me to become concerned about which products I use on him and the world he will be growing up in.  

Then I discovered Pinterest (Ohh how I love you Pinterest).  My eyes were opened to a whole new beast...I began to ‘Pin’ as if it was my job (hubby says I have a bit of an obsession, but really it has changed so many things in our lives).  I found lots and lots and LOTS of interesting blogs which have inspired me to make my lil Fam’s life more natural and simple. 

So join me as I try out all the neat, fun, interesting and simple things I find through Pinterest.  And please leave your comments, I’d love to know how you make your life Real and Simple!