Italian Turkey Sausage and Veggie Pasta

I love Italian Sausage and for some reason I had been hesitant to try turkey sausage. But recently, I was watching some of my favorite “trash” TV (please don’t ask me which show, it’s completely embarrassing and Karda-culous), and they were making a pasta dish using turkey sausage and it looked so yummy! This little bit of goodness is really only what I can assume they were actually having since it wasn’t like I was watching an actual cooking show. Is it weird that I paused the DVR as the camera panned over…oh, let’s call him Vamar…over Vamar’s plate? Yah, probably but whatevs…

I honestly loved the turkey sausage, it is so tasty! Turkey sausage is a great option for regular sausage and depending on the type, it can beat the fat & calorie pants off regular Italian sausage by more than 300 calories. A bit of caution after the big ground turkey health scare last year: be sure that you are buying fresh meat (frozen is fine just check dates) and you are cooking it to the correct temperature – at least 165 degrees.

This is definitely a comfort food pleaser. Great flavor in the sauce and it came together pretty quickly; another fast weeknight meal.

So, here’s the recipe that I think I wanted to make…and it turned out pretty darn good…Bible.

Ingredients:
3/4 pound pasta (my fave: Ronzoni Smart Taste angel hair; penne would be great for this, as well)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 package spicy Italian turkey sausage (I bought links)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I also added some chopped cherry tomatoes)
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped kale or spinach
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and then add onions and sauté about 3 minutes, until almost translucent.

Aaaannnd...in case you need to see another picture of sauteing onions:Add turkey sausage (casings removed), and using the back of a spoon or spatula, break it up. Add garlic and sauté until turkey is browned completely. Add the chicken broth, basil, oregano and diced tomatoes and heat on medium to simmering.Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

Grate the Parmesan cheese and set aside. Add the kale to the simmering sauce and stir.Simmer for about 2 more minutes then add the drained pasta to the pan and mix to coat the pasta.

Serve topped with Parmesan.Serves 6
Per serving: Calories 364 / Carbs 39g / Fat 14g / Protein 24g / Fiber 6g / Sodium 1212mg