Marinara Sauce over Wilted Spinach and Kale

     I got my blood work back for my physical last week and its exciting!  With no cholesterol medicines my total cholesterol is now 174!!! YAY! Two years ago it was 240-ish and I was put on Statins, but they made my muscles hurt.  I stopped taking them about 6 months ago.  Its 90 days tomorrow since I started this plant based diet.   My ratios are approaching optimal and my Triglycerides are at 90 which is pretty darn good, considering I still don't exercise.  That's next on my list.  I checked my bicycle and I think I need a new real wheel.  Not bad since I bought the bike in 1973.  The weather is getting there, so walking the dog will be a good place to start.
     Hey!  I almost forgot.  I have another recipe for you!  This time I made it Vegan and Gluten Free so that my old friend who shall remain nameless, named Mimi, can join in the fun.  I made this 2 ways.  One with the sauce over wilted spinach and kale and one with Gluten Free noodles.  Cousin Rhonda, you can leave the salt out and this becomes an extremely low sodium dish.
 Mimi, I got gluten free noodles at Whole Foods.  It says to cook them for 7 minutes, but that wasn't enough so I cooked them for about 12 minutes and they are surprisingly good.

This is a modified version of my Mom's spaghetti sauce recipe:

Spaghetti Sauce Marinara

1 large sweet onion chopped                          4 TBS Italian Seasoning

4 cloves of garlic chopped                             2 TBS Oregano

3 15 oz cans of tomato sauce                        2 TBS Sweet Basil         

3  6 oz cans of tomato paste                         3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes                      1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt                                      1 cup of water

2 TBS Nutritional Yeast                              2 TBS Brown Sugar

     In a large sauce pan heat the Olive Oil and salt.  Its ready when a small piece of the chopped onion sizzles in the oil.  Add the chopped onion and allow to clarify.  Add the chopped garlic, Italian Seasoning, Oregano, Sweet Basil and black pepper and stir it so it doesn't burn.  Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced tomatoes and water.  Stir it until it begins to bubble then cover and reduce heat to a low simmering boil for at least 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning.  When its about done, stir in the Brown Sugar, cover and remove from the heat.

     Serve over noodles of your choice and top it with the Nutritional Yeast as an alternate to Parmesan Cheese.

Alternate:  Marinara over Wilted Spinach and Kale

As an alternate to the noodles, I also made this with wilted Spinach and Kale.

Take 2 generous handfuls of Spinach and 2 handfuls of Kale in a colander. Pour boiling water over the greens and watch them wilt.  You may use the water that you used to boil the noodles since you have it right there anyway!  If you choose to leave the noodles out, boil a pot of water....duh.

Spread the greens out on a plate.  Ladle on the Marinara Sauce and top with Nutritional Yeast.  

Personally, I made a bed of the greens, piled on the noodles and sauce and topped with the Nutritional Yeast FOR THE WIN!!!

Pictures!!!!

You may choose to use this as a side dish or add a hunk of bread and make this your main meal.  Either way, its filling, delicious, full of protein and a real crowd pleaser, crowd not included.

Feedback is greatly appreciated.  Enjoy!