Vegan Eats

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I haven’t been able to post much in the last few weeks since I’ve been keeping quite busy. I was in British Columbia for a week visiting some wonderful family members that hadn’t seen in too long and since I’ve been back, I’ve picked up a couple extra shifts at work. Furthermore, the Vegan Eats family has been experiencing some tough times over the past couple weeks. About two weeks ago we lost a family member to old age and a couple of bum kidneys, as we said goodbye to our little dog, Chester, with whom we had the blessing of living with for 14 years. Chester lived nothing short of a great life; his mother spoiled him much more than she ever spoiled me, which says something because I grew up as an only child! When Chester wasn’t incessantly barking at anyone who dared to walk by our house, he enjoyed relaxing in the sun, rolling in the grass, and eating spaghetti. Spaghetti was seriously his favourite food. I had always known when he had been eating it, because his grayish white beard would be nearly completely stained red by the tomato-based sauce. Needless to say, this recipe is for him. It makes enough sauce to serve about two or three people, depending on how hungry they are, but you can easily double or triple the recipe for leftovers. Tomatoes are relatively acidic, so tomato-based sauces should stay good in the fridge for at least a week before they turn.

Ingredients:
Spaghetti, enough for 2 or 3 people
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onion, diced
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¾ cup canned tomato sauce (look for one without any salt added)
1 scant teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Handful fresh basil, chopped

Instructions:
1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the garlic and onions for a few minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the tomatoes, a big pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 or 6 minutes over medium heat.
3. Add the tomato sauce and balsamic vinegar. Bring to boil and turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped basil and season to taste with more salt and pepper. Pour sauce over spaghetti and serve.
Serves: 2 to 3