We’re coming into fall finally!! For us in Arizona, that means temperatures are finally under 100, and we’re able to take our workouts outside without fear of spontaneously combusting! I feel like fall and winter are busy times for most families: school is back in the routine, football and hockey are in season, the holidays are right around the corner… This recipe can be prepped through to step 4 and then saved to be finished at a later time. I’ve even prepared them in individual ramekins, instead of a large casserole, and froze them for a work lunch. I usually pair it with a caesar salad. Traditional caesar dressing contains anchovies and eggs and lotsa sodium and cholesterol and fat and calories, but this vinaigrette leaves all that stuff out. I’m sharing that today as well.
Ingredients
6 ounces any pasta shape
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb chicken or turkey Italian sausage (bulk
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cups kale, chopped
8 ounces mozzarella cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 & prepare pot for pasta
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add oil, sauté garlic and onion until onion begins to soften, add sausage, breaking it up as it browns. Add shredded carrots and diced tomatoes. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta per package directions. When pasta is cooked, drain and add to vegetables and sausage in skillet. Add chopped kale and toss to combine.
- In a greased casserole dish, put about half the pasta mixture, add a 4 ounces of mozzarella, then layer the remaining pasta and top with rest of cheese.
- Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.
Makes 4,
2 cup servings
Cal 277 Fat 5.4g (1.6g saturated) Protein 20g
Fiber 7g * cholesterol 54mg * sugar 5g * sodium 272mg * carbohydrates 36g
Caesar Vinaigrette
ingredients
2 T white vinegar
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 t sugar
1 t lemon zest
1/4 t each: dried oregano, dried thyme and dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t salt
1/4 t fresh ground pepper
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients and whisk until combined.
Makes 1 cup.
Per tablespoon: Calories 49 Fat 4.8g (4 g unsaturated) Carbohydrate 1g Protein .5g Sugar .7g Fiber 0g Sodium 80mg Cholesterol 1mg
