Does this lunch sound horrible?

[pastashapes9]

One onion and one clove of garlic, chopped then heated in sunflower oil for 5 mins. Add two chopped carrots, 1 chopped red pepper, 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 can chopped tomatoes and chopped fresh basil. Simmer for 30 mins then blend, serve with fresh fusilli and cheese.

It’s for my 6.5 month old baby who is weaning, but me and DH are going to have some too.

I’m a crap cook so am just experimenting and trying new things.

Thoughts and suggestions welcome.

I wouldn't think it would need sugar would it?

Cans of tomato are pretty sweet aren't they?

Sounds fine to me apart from the blending-I'd prefer texture!

Sounds delicious - for next time, I'd add a touch of butter as it cooks to give the sauce a real richness. I also would have put the basil in at the end rather than cooking it but that's me being fussy!

Sounds good, that's pretty much how i'd always make pasta sauce! I would odd a good squirt of tomato puree in and cook it off once you've fried the onions and garlic so you'll get a thicker sauce.

Cans of tomato are pretty sweet aren't they?

Depends on the can and the palate.

Sounds ok but use olive oil

Sounds lovely, and like a very normal, staple meal!

You’ve described a basic pomodoro pasta sauce but with more vegetables in it!

Add the basil when you serve, don't cook and blend it!

@BillieEilish

You have done a bog standard pasta sauce recipe on AIBU OP and have asked if it's ok. I am asking if you are ok.

I hope you are coping with newborn and not overly worrying.

Of course it's OK. It is a completely normal weekly pasta sauce.

This. It's slightly concerning to me too. I think OP might be putting herself under excessive pressure, perhaps due to lack of confidence.

That sounds really nice!

Sounds nice, I would add a stock cube for extra flavour

I’d rather roast it all instead then blend, will make it sweeter and richer.

I think it sounds perfect. I wouldn't be adding sugar to something that has tomatoes and carrots in it for a baby, its sweet enough.

In fact, it's a very elaborate meal for that age I think. Dont feel under pressure to make full meals from scratch. Tomato and carrot puree would probably do the job just as well. Your baby isn't judging your cooking skills :)

Tomatoes are a bit variable. Sometimes they need a bit of sugar, sometimes they don’t. A lot of it is personal taste. I like a bit of balsamic or red wine vinegar in a tomato sauce.

There are no hard and fast rules. Do what you like the taste of.

Sounds good to me. I don’t add sugar, but I know others do.

I find pesto and stock concentrate are good staples to have handy to bung in at the last minute, in case my things-I-found-in-the-fridge sauce is a bit lacking.

Id add a beef stock cube in for a bit more depth of flavour and perhaps a tiny tiny amount of sugar to bring out the flavour in the tomatoes 🍅

It sounds fine 🙂 If you wanted to, you could use red onions and balsamic vinegar to start it off. I never add sugar after an Italian ex was horrified by it, not sure if that was just him being a dick, though. It's quite possible.

Sounds very 'normal'.
I agree unusual to post such a thing in aibu which is why pp are assuming you're struggling. It's the sort of recipe vaguely competent cooks make as teen-agers or whatever.

Are you ok?

If you're struggling for time and inclination op (understandable with a young family) have you tried those recipe boxes? Gousto or hello fresh or whatever.

If you want to cook treat yourself to a couple of Delia's basics books. What you've described isn't far off the basis for lots of dishes - bolognase, chilli, pasta tomato sauce. Once you know the basics you'll be able to do lots more.

Sounds like vegetable pasta. Nothing wrong with that.

Throw in some mushrooms too!

sounds nice, but id put in only one carrot and more tomato. Maybe a tiny bit of sugar and a little balsamic vinegar too

I make this all the time. A simple vegetarian is pasta sauce. It's nice!
Hope baby enjoys. Mine had the same on Monday, most went on the floor

I cook similar regularly and add bacon and/or chicken, my kids are older though so no issues that way

Op the BBC website is great for recipes. If you Google 'easy recipes bbc' you'll get loads of suggestions. Maybe cook a few meals a week and supplement with those recipe kits you can buy I mentioned above along with 1x takeaway per week and 1x good quality read meal/oven pizza with salad/veg? You could cook enough for leftovers for lunch the next days. Keep breakfast simple - cereals, yogurt and frozen fruit, scramble eggs on toast.

All Depends on your budget of course but it might be worth doing a meal plan? Might feel less overwhelming.

i would grate the carrott, it will cook quicker then

I always keep frozen beetroot in the freezer and add that when making a pasta sauce as it adds a but of sweetness.