pasta primavera with chicken sausage

Some of the best meals come from cleaning out my refrigerator. After a long day out on the boat with family, I wanted something quick and filling that would amp up our veggie intake. I loosley followed a recipe I found a while ago, but added a few twists to up the flavor, such as sauteing the veggies in the same pan the lean chicken sausage was cooked in. Use whatever veggies you have one hand and mix it up when you want something fresh. You won't be disappointed!

Pasta Primavera with Chicken Sausage

• 8-12 oz. corkscrew or penne pasta, whole grain if possible
• 1/2 lb. broccoli florets or snow peas (or a combination)
• 3 fresh, lean chicken or turkey sausage links (bratwurst size)
• Baby portobello mushrooms (about 10), sliced in half or thirds
• 1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
• 1/2 bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 c chopped basil
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 oz. herby goat cheese, crumbled
• Salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot full of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost soft. During the last two minutes of cooking, add the broccoli and/or snow peas. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/4 c of cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, in another large pot, grill the sausage links in a little olive oil until dark brown and cooked through. Remove from pan and cover in foil. To the pot, add the mushrooms and a little more olive oil. Saute about 4-5 minutes, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Add onions and peppers. Saute 4-5 minutes, until just soft. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two.
3. While the onions and peppers cook, slice the sausages into rounds. Add sausage rounds, tomatoes, red pepper, noodles, broccoli and reserved water to the vegetables and stir gently together. Add goat cheese and most of the Parmesan and basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Top with remaining basil and Parmesan and serve.

Note: This recipe is super flexible and will take nearly any type of veggie replacement. Try adding asparagus, spinach, shredded carrot, squash or whatever else you have hanging out in the fridge. Tender veggies should be added to the pot with the tomatoes; firmer, tougher ones should be added with the onions.