Kitchen Cupboard Marinara Pasta with Meat Sauce

I make pasta dishes for Anthony all the time.  This one has a simple homemade marinara and sweet Italian turkey sausage, but feel free to substitute your favorite canned sauce and ground beef if you prefer.  I threw this together with whatever I could find in the cupboard and freezer, which is why I call it Kitchen Cupboard Pasta.  I love when I can make satisfying meals without having to run to the grocery store.  The key to this delicious gluten free dish is Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta.  I only had the Garden Pagodas on hand, but other pasta shapes would have worked nicely also.

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, diced
Extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 package sweet italian sausage (about 1lb), casings removed
28oz can tomato puree
1 can fire roasted tomatoes (I use Muir Glen), drained
handful of sliced black olives
2tbs sugar
3tbs fresh chopped basil (I buy the refrigerated basil in the tubes that you just squeeze out)
Oregano, garlic powder & red pepper flakes to taste
Italian cheese (I used some mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano)
1 package quinoa pasta


Directions:
1. Boil pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse briefly.
2. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in some olive oil over medium high.  Add sausage and cook, breaking up the pieces into bits with your spoon until cooked through.
3. Add puree, tomatoes, olives, spices and basil.  Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer 10 minutes.  Add sugar if you need to cut the acidity and add some fresh sea salt to taste.
4. Mix sauce and pasta.  Top with cheese and serve immediately.  (Also makes GREAT leftovers!)