Vegetable Bolognese

1/2 pound pasta – I used whole wheat penne
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
5 garlic cloves
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces baby bella mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup Parmesan

Place the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse the vegetables until finely chopped but still chunky. Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables, seasonings, salt, and pepper and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Add the mushrooms and tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste, until the mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and reserved liquid from the pasta. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let the mixture simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

Toss the pasta with the sauce, sprinkle with plenty of parmesan and serve.

Serves 2-3