Pizza has a bad reputation of being unhealthy, but it does not have to be if you top it with the right ingredients. This roasted veggie pizza sauce makes an excellent base for a healthy, homemade pizza. Not only is it made with fresh tomatoes, but it also contains roasted onions, summer squash and even carrots. You can always satisfy a pizza craving at a restaurant like Uncle Pete's Pizza, but a serving of this sauce really packs a nutritional punch, and it tastes delicious too.

Ingredients:

• 4 large, ripe tomatoes
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Combine the diced carrots, onions and squash in a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil and salt, and toss until the vegetables are uniformly coated.
2. Spread the oiled veggies out onto a baking sheet, and roast them at 375 F for 20 – 25 minutes. Stir the vegetables two or three times during cooking to ensure even browning. They should become slightly crispy and browned by the end of the roasting time.
3. Remove the veggies from the oven, and set them aside.
4. Slice the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds.
5. Place the tomatoes in a food processor, and process them until they're quite smooth. You will be pureeing them again after the sauce is cooked, so don't worry if a few chunks remain.
6. Combine the tomatoes, roasted veggies, and other remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan.
7. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender.
8. Remove the sauce from the heat, and use an immersion blender to puree it into a smooth, uniform sauce.
9. Taste the sauce, and add additional salt, pepper or garlic powder if desired.

This recipe makes enough sauce to top two large pizzas. If you don't want to use it all at once, you can put the extra sauce into jars or even resealable freezer bags, and stash it in the freezer until the next time you feel like making homemade pizza. If you have a huge abundance of tomatoes from your garden, you can even make a double or triple batch and enjoy fresh-tasting, healthy sauce from the freezer for months. Consider sharing some with friends. This healthy, full-flavored recipe takes pizza to a new level.