I enjoy pasta. In fact, I enjoy it so much that I could probably eat some type of pasta dish every day. I make some killer pasta salads such as Tuna Salad and Italian Pasta Salad. Both of those dishes are often requested at pot luck barbecues and other summertime gatherings by family and friends.
Italian dishes are a specialty of mine and I’ve often heard “Are you sure you don’t have any Italian heritage running through your blood?”; to which I reply “Not that I know of!”. I make an amazing lasagna and my stuffed shells are to die for.
I am on a mission to eat healthier and lose some weight, so I’ve been trying all sorts of different recipes lately. I recently came across Pasta Fits, which is sponsored by the National Pasta Association and is chocked full of nutritional and culinary resources, as well as tools to educate you. You’ll find tips on cooking pasta as well as delicious recipes that you can try yourself. You’d be surprised at how easy some pasta recipes are, not to mention they’re wholesome. The great things about pasta is that you can create many budget friendly meals with it.
Pasta is also full of complex carbohydrates that work as fuel for your brain and muscles. You can pair pasta with pretty much anything, including things that are good for you such as beans and vegetables to which contain lots of fiber. You can also pair it with fish and oils which are good for your heart or tomato sauce which is rich in antioxidants. Of course, poultry and meat is a great protein-packed addition.
My kids can be rather picky with some foods, but I wanted to try something new and I wanted the dish to be healthier than my traditional pasta dishes. While browsing through the PastaFits.org, I came across the German Sausage Penne recipe and it sounded pretty good to me. Since I’m well over 50% German, it seemed like a fitting recipe to try! I thought that it might not be something the kids would enjoy with all the different pallets of flavor, so I made it for lunch one day when they were away.
This German Sausage Penne recipe is a one pot recipe and pretty easy to make. It also took just about 30 minutes to make so I didn’t have to spend hours slaving in the kitchen. Now that’s what I’m talking about!
Once our meal was done, it was time to dig in and I’ll admit that I was a littler nervous at first. I’d never eaten a dish like this before, so it was like going into uncharted territory for me. I took my first bite and was pleasantly surprised. The combination of flavors actually paired well together. The German Sausage Penne had an interesting taste for sure, but I would not call it a bad taste. It was actually pretty good and the fact that it’s fairly low in calories will have me coming back for more. I’ve shared the recipe with you below, so that you can try it for yourself!
German Sausage Penne Recipe
Ingredients:
? lb. penne
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 cups/8 oz. diced onion
4 cups/8 oz. sliced red cabbage
? lb. bratwurst or other favorite German sausage
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced (about 2 cups/8 oz.)
6 Tbsp./3 oz. German-style mustard (Dijon is fine too!)
3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package directions. Drain and reserve.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and onion and cook until the onion starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the cabbage and cook until softened, another 5 minutes.
Remove the sausage from its casing directly into the pan. Cook using a fork or whisk to break up the sausage into small pieces. Add the apple and continue to cook until it starts to soften and break apart (but not turn to mush), about 3 minutes. Stir in the mustard and penne. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Divide between bowls and sprinkle with parsley.
Makes 8 (1 cup) servings. Per serving: 250 calories, 10 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 31 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 22 mg cholesterol, 542 mg sodium.
