Ketchup

This is adapted from The Optimal Diet, cookbook. I noticed it when flipping through the cookbook and thought it sounded simple enough, and certainly healthier than store bought ketchup, which is great since my kids are typical kids in their love of ketchup on anything & everything. So I figured, why not try it. Last minute, as I was dumping stuff in the bowl, I hesitated to use the honey that the recipe calls for, more because I didn't see how in a room temperature concoction the honey would truly blend together, so I decided in the grand scheme of things, the sugar in this recipe isn't that much, and I'd just use sugar, which wouldn't add the flavor that honey has, and also would for sure mix in evenly (a clump of honey while eating ketchup just grossed me out LOL). So, here's what I did.

1 c tomato sauce (from a can)
1 can (5.5oz) tomato paste
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp basil, crushed
3/4 tsp garlic powder (I used granulated roasted garlic, would assume regular wouldn't change the taste noticably)
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all, stir well. Store in refrigerator up to one week, or freeze.

And the "test", I just served it to the girls w/ fried potatoes, they ate it up, licked the plate clean, and asked for more, just like they do regular ketchup, so it gets their stamp of approval. I won't say it tastes exactly like ketchup, but I think it tastes as good or better, then again, I'm selective in what I like ketchup on.

ETA: Bummer, when I got the jar out of the fridge yesterday to put ketchup on the girls' plates at lunch, it was much too "chunky" to pass for ketchup. The recipe indicated that it froze well, and I froze about half the batch, so I'll see how that is when it thaws, if it works ok that way I'll freeze it in small containers from now on and use them that way or something . . . but I'm so bummed that this didn't keep in the fridge at the right consistency. :( I'm going to throw the rest in the freezer and I think I can at least use it mixed into pasta sauce so I don't have to throw it out, but still . . .