Penne with Sausage

Who says sausage can't make an occasional appearance in a healthy meal? Certainly not me. Especially when it's organic chicken sausage. It's lower in sodium than pork sausage, and contains no nitrate or nitrites. Must be good! Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you off, this comes together quickly. The resulting dish tastes similar to one made with pesto ... that's because this contains ingredients in pesto, they're just not ground.

Ingredients:

1/3 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red or yellow bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 Organic Italian chicken sausages, sliced
1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs pine nuts (optional)

Directions:  Heat a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add penne pasta and cook per package directions. Drain when cooked.

Heat the olive oil in a large non stick skillet set over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, minced garlic and chicken sausages. Cook for several minutes, until the onion turns translucent and the sausage begins to brown. Add the wine or chicken stock and continue to cook for an additional minute or two. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the Greek yogurt, along with 2 Tbs of the Parmesan cheese, and the basil and parsley.

Add the drained pasta to the vegetable and sausage mixture. Serve, topping each serving with some of the additional Parmesan and pine nuts.

Serves 3 - 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Basil is a health powerhouse. It's high in antioxidants, which means it's supports heart health and dealing with free radicals, important to help ward off cancer. It's also filled with antibacterials, meaning it's good for promoting the immune system. Finally, it's a great anti-inflammatory, so it promotes healthy digestion. Using fresh basil, instead of dried, means you get more of the healthy benefits of this herb.