April Fool’s Day is all about fun and surprises, and what better way to get in on the trickery than with a hidden veggie pasta sauce? This simple yet clever recipe sneaks in a load of nutritious vegetables while keeping up the appearance of a classic tomato sauce. It’s a win-win—kids (and picky eaters) won’t suspect a thing, and you’ll feel great knowing they’re getting a healthy, balanced meal.
Ready to pull off this delicious prank? Here’s how to make it:
🍅 Ingredients:
- 1 cup carrots (chopped) 🥕
- ½ cup courgette (chopped) 🥒
- ½ cup red pepper (chopped) 🌶
- ½ cup sweet potato or butternut squash (chopped) 🍠
- 1 small onion (chopped) 🧅
- 2 cloves garlic (minced) 🧄
- 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes 🍅
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup vegetable stock or water
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp oregano & basil
🌀 Instructions:
1️⃣ Sauté the veggies – In a large pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onions, garlic, carrots, courgette, red pepper, and sweet potato for 5-7 minutes until soft.
2️⃣ Add tomatoes & seasonings – Stir in the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, salt, oregano, and basil. Let it simmer for 15 minutes until everything is tender.
3️⃣ Blend until smooth – Use a blender or hand blender to puree the sauce until smooth. No veggie chunks in sight!
4️⃣ Serve over pasta – Toss with whole wheat or veggie pasta and tell the kids it’s just regular tomato sauce. Watch their faces when they realise they’ve been tricked into eating their veg! 😆
This sauce is packed with vitamins and fibre, making it a perfect way to boost your child’s nutrition without them even realising. Give it a go this April Fool’s and let us know if your little ones fell for it! 🎭🍝