Pecan Pesto Shells with Sausage

Pecan Pesto Shells with Sausage
Recipe inspired by Real Simple
Makes 6 Servings

12 oz. dry pasta, small shape
3 cups fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup pecan halves
16 tsp grated Parmesan
4 tbsp olive oil
1 pound Hot Italian Turkey Sausage

Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot. In the meantime, pulse parsley, pecans, parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in food processor. With machine running, add olive oil to the top and process until smooth. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add pesto, sausage, and 1/4 cup of cooking water to pasta. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan as garnish if desired.

Nutritional Information: 511 calories, 48 carbs, 26 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Such a rich, creamy dish! Very filling between the sausage, nutty sauce and pasta. The original recipe called for regular sausage, but I thought the turkey sausage was great. It is definitely a higher calorie meal for me, but well worth it for a hearty, homemade pesto with our homegrown basil! I will definitely make this again, especially in the fall for a nice, heavy pasta dinner!

Simple Sausage and Squash Pasta

Simple Sausage and Squash Pasta
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Real Simple

8 oz. egg noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
3 Italian-style turkey sausage links, casings removed
1 pound summer squash
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain pasta and return it to the pot. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and, 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add 2 tsp of oil to the skillet. Add squash, onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are golden and tender, 10 minutes (reduce heat if pan begins to darken). Toss pasta with sausage, vegetables, Parmesan, oregano, and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve with more parsley to garnish.

Nutritional Information: 429 calories, 51 carbs, 15 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Great, simple recipe! Ready in under 20 minutes, so another great weeknight meal! The sausage and garlic gave it great flavor, and I didn't miss a heavy sauce at all. It was a great, light meal that reheated well the next day and was too easy to make. I'll be making it again!

Quinoa Crusted Quiche

Quinoa Crusted Quiche
Inspired by a Lynn's Kitchen Adventures recipe
Makes 6 Servings


1.5 cups quinoa cooked in chicken stock
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 pound (5 links) Italian Turkey Sausage, cooked
3 oz. 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 tbsp Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce
3 eggs
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 tsp minced garlic

Cook quinoa in chicken broth per package instructions. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage from casings and cook until no longer pink, 7-8 minutes. Once quinoa is cooked, press quinoa into the bottom of a rectangular pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle with melted butter. Combine sausage, cheeses, and hot pepper sauce and spread over quinoa. Beat eggs, milk, garlic powder,
onion powder and garlic. Pour over sausage over mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information: 405 calories, 32 carbs, 18 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Review: I loved it. Austin said, "it's good, but it's weird to eat quinoa for breakfast." hehe I personally like a grain at breakfast time, it kind of reminded me of the breakfast risotto. Anyway, I thought the spicy sausage added a lot of flavor, and as usual the Cabot cheese melted well and tasted great without adding too many calories and fat grams. I couldn't really taste the egg, but it did help keep it all together and made the quinoa a bit more crispy than usual. All in all, i'd make it again, but maybe next time in a rectangular dish so it would be easier to eat then the deep oval dish!

One serving!

Two Cheese Naan Breakfast Pizza

Two-Cheese Naan Breakfast Pizza

Makes 2 Servings (above is one serving!)

1 piece of naan
3 tbsp low-calorie spaghetti sauce
2 eggs

2 tbsp egg substitute
¼ tsp dried basil, divided
1 tbsp fat-free milk
40 grams 75% reduced fat cabot cheese
5 grams grated parmesan cheese
1 serving Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage crumbles

Turn on broiler. Whisk together eggs, milk and half of basil. Heat sausage in microwave per package instructions. Pour egg mixture into a small pan over medium heat. Add in sausage, and cook until eggs are just done; should still be wet. Remove from heat. Place naan on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spread sauce on naan with the back of a spoon. Top with egg mixture, shredded cheese and sprinkle with remaining basil. Broil for 5-7 minutes until cheese is just browned. Keep an eye on it to avoid burning.

Nutritional Information: 303 calories, 16 carbs, 10 fat grams and 16 protein grams.

Review: It's my new favorite breakfast dish. Seriously! The spaghetti sauce added a great base, and I loved the egg/sausage mixture. The cheese mixture was great too - loved the difference that a tiny bit of fresh, grated Parmesan cheese made. And the naan is still succeeding as the best pizza "crust." Don't get me wrong - this recipe would be great with a pita (although it would take the calorie counts down A LOT), but the crispiness of the naan helps make this breakfast special. And short of the awesome taste, it filled me up. Perfect breakfast!

whole pizza before slicing into 2 servings

Sausage, Tomato and Argula Pasta

Sausage, Tomato and Argula Pasta
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 6 Servings

1 tsp olive oil
5 turkey Italian sausages, removed from casings
3 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1 ½ cups grape tomatoes
1 ½ cups arugula
3 oz. fresh mozzarella, rolled into small balls
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
12 oz. pasta, cooked per instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove sausage from casings and form into small balls. Place balls into the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and tomatoes then stir constantly for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, oregano, salt and pepper. Break up a few of the tomatoes with the spatula. Cook for 8-10 minutes while pasta cooks.
Drain pasta and add to sauce, toss to coat. Add arugula and balls of cheese then serve immediately.

Nutritional Information: 373 calories, 43 carbs, 12 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: This dish packs SO much flavor and is really filling. I love the addition of argula for color, and the cherry tomatoes were great, too. Do be careful breaking up the tomatoes - don't wait to get a squirter and wind up with tomato juice all over you! This one reheated well, too - which made me happy because i'm always nervous heating up lettuce you know? But it meshed well in here and I wouldn't make this dish without the arugula. I also liked the idea of sausage balls and cheese balls - I ended up just throwing the sausage in more roughly (no perfect balls) but will do that next time. I did like the add the little cheese balls made though. Great, quick, filling recipe - good for a weeknight!

full dish in pan while I stirred it - almost looks plain but the sauce had a lot of flavor. I love how much chicken broth can enhance a dish!

Sausage and Spinach Breakfast Pie

Sausage and Spinach Breakfast Pie
Makes 6 Servings
Adapted from Healthy Cooking Magazine

1 frozen deep dish pie shell
½ pound Italian Turkey Sausage links, casings removed
1 cup egg substitute
1 package frozen chopped spinach, squeezed and dried
½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated (60 grams)
½ cup cabot 75% reduced fat cheese, grated (60 grams)
¼ cup fat-free ricotta cheese (78 grams)
1/8 tsp pepper

Defrost pastry shell for 10 minutes while oven preheats to 375. Leave pastry shell in foil pan, but poke holes in the bottom of the shell (do not go through foil). Bake at 400 for 4 minutes. Remove foil and bake 4 minutes longer. Remove from the oven. Reduce heat to 375. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, spinach, cheeses, pepper and sausage. Pour into crust. Place high on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Nutritional Information: 292 calories, 32 carbs, 9 fat grams and 21 protein grams.

Review: We loved this. It really tasted SO bad for you - the pie crust did this I think, but it congealed so nicely, the sausage added nice heat, and the cheeses made the eggs taste "real" if that makes sense. It really blended well and was a great pie. It also reheated VERY well - tasted almost as fresh as the first time. When I bought the pies they came with two, so I hope to try another blend with ham or turkey, or maybe even a Mexican-inspired one with salsa and/or beans. Very exciting to just put items into a pre-made pie! I recommend trying this recipe, or your own variation.

One Serving

Mushroom and Sausage Stuffed Shells

Mushroom and Sausage Stuffed Shells
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

2.5 links of Italian turkey sausage (1/2 pound), removed from casings
8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced finely
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp nutmeg
¾ cup fat-free ricotta cheese (186 grams)
1 egg, beaten
60 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
2 tbsp reduced fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of fresh spinach, chopped
2 ½ cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce
16 jumbo pasta shells, cooked per instructions
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add sausage and cook until crumbled. Remove from heat. Add mushrooms and onions then sauté until brown, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and mix with sausage. In a large bowl combine ricotta, 1 oz. mozzarella, Parmesan, the egg, spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste. Mix thoroughly then add the sausage mixture. Pour 1 ¼ cups of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Place the 16 cooked shells in the pan. Stuff each shell with the mixture. Pour remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining mozzarella. Bake for 3-5 minutes.

Nutritional Information (4 shells): 441 calories, 49 carbs, 14 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: AMAZING. New favorite Italian recipe. Seriously. Just the right amount of food, great mixture of cheese, the mushrooms and garlic gave it extra bite and texture and the spicy sausage was perfect - added a lot of flavor for not a lot of calories. This was a an easy recipe to put together and will DEFINITELY be made again! I'm so excited that I tried these and while I loved my last stuffed shells recipe (with 96/4 ground beef and frozen spinach), this spicy Italian turkey sausage and fresh spinach mixture blew that one out of the water. For real! I hope you try this and love it!

one serving

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomato and Cheese

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomato and Cheese
Adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 8 servings

12 oz. uncooked ziti
5 light Italian Turkey sausage links
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 14.5-ounce cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
½ cup chopped fresh basil
Cooking spray
100 grams shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
4 tbsp parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta, and set aside. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add tomato paste, salt, pepper and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture and basil. Place pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with Parmesan, and then mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Nutritional Information: 450 calories, 55 carbs, 13 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: LOVED it! The sausage was so flavorful and while the portions looked a bit smaller than my usual portions, it was more than enough food and very filling. I loved all of the flavors and the fact that this recipe had real mozzarella - nice! I will definitely make this again.

Baked Italian Sausage Pasta

Baked Italian Sausage Pasta
Idea adapted from a For the Love of Cooking recipe
6 Servings

5 Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage links, casings removed
11 oz. pasta of your choice (I used Ziti)
3 tbsp parmesan (I used Kraft)
93 grams fat-free ricotta cheese (I used Sargento)
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely diced
2 cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce (I used tomato & basil classico)
50 grams Fresh Mozzarella, grated (I used Trader Joe's)
1 tsp dried basil

Preheat oven to 400. Set a large pan (that has a lid) to medium and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set a pot of water to boil. Add sausage to pan, and top with lid. Add pasta to boiling water. Cook sausage for 15 minutes, turning and breaking up with a spoon every few minutes. Cook pasta for 11 minutes, drain and set aside. In the meantime, in a large bowl, combine parmesan, basil, ricotta cheese and 1.5 cups spaghetti sauce and mix thoroughly. Add cooked pasta. Stir. Shred now-cooked sausage with two forks. Add to mixture and stir. Place mixture into a baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spread remaining ½ cup sauce on top and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and dried basil. Bake for 10 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 401 calories, 45 carbs, 13 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: Wow. This product tastes like the real thing. I loved the sausage and thought it meshed well with the other ingredients and cooked evenly. I was glad the fresh basil was in, with the dried, and the three cheeses tasted YUMMY! Austin was a fan too – this will become a staple. We also calculated the cost of this meal - $8.25 total – so $1.37 a serving!

Whole Pan

Breakfast Risotto

Breakfast Risotto

Inspired by Bon Appetit
Makes 6 Servings

4 tbsp light butter, divided
5 spicy light Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
1 cup onion, diced
3 small bay leaves
1 ½ cups arborio rice
¾ cup dry white wine
4 cups Swanson fat-free chicken broth
12 tsp Kraft parmesan cheese
½ cup fresh Italian parsley

Melt 2 tbsp butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausages; break up with spatula and cook for about 5-6 minutes until barely pink. Add onions and bay leaves. Saute until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in rice. Add wine; boil until liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Add broth and remaining butter; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally until risotto is tender, about 24 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and discard bay leaves. Divide into six servings and top with cheese and parsley.

Nutritional Information: 389 calories, 42 carbs, 14 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: LOVED - so savory and filling. All of the flavors went together very well, and it was filling too. If anything, it was a bit spicy with the sausage I used, but I liked it and didn't feel like it took anything away from the recipe. This was my first risotto and I must say - AMAZING. I can't wait to make more. If you want to take the fat down some, I'd suggest eliminating one of the butter tablespoons and half of the parmesan - I don't think it would be missed!