Spicy Pumpkin Pizza Sauce

What?  More pumpkin?

Yes indeedy.

I always make my own pizza sauce and marinara sauce.  I have a recipe earlier in the blog somewheres for a pizza sauce that has the same basic ingredients.  This recipe is FAR superior to my earlier one.  You would think that pumpkin would lend an odd, or at least off, flavor to the sauce.  Not so.  Pumpkin itself is so incredibly neutral as to be almost a non-ingredient.  What it does do though is add a creaminess and acts as a thickening agent without adding a lot of calories.  Plus, you get added fiber and loads of vitamins as a bonus.

I used this sauce as the base for pizza on a low calorie- whole wheat pita, topped with artichoke hearts, fresh basil, mushrooms, capers, and fresh mozzarella.  Another heavenly creation.

Spicy Pumpkin Pizza Sauce
2 large tomatoes, par boiled to remove skin, chopped with juices reserved
3 cloves garlic
1 packet sweetener or 1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp assorted dried herbs: thyme, basil, oregano, majoram

1/2 c. pumpkin

1 TBS balsamic vinegar

Lightly grease sautee pan. Add garlic and allow to lightly brown.  Add tomatoes with their juice and spices.  Cook until you can easily smash the tomatoes with a fork into a pulp.  Add remaining ingredients, mixing well.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

Makes enough for 4 pita pizzas with extra sauce on each.  100 calories total.

Eric's dinner: Box of Pastaroni -  Alfredo Style