Turkey Sausage Ragu

I am sort of a health nut. I love eating things that are good for me and I think I love more that if I eat a ton, I won't feel bad about it. It's a great life I live.

Ragù : an Italian term for a meat-based sauce

Turkey Sausage Ragu

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp thyme

8 oz spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings discarded

1/4 tsp chile flakes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c chicken broth

1 14.5oz can chopped tomatoes in juice

1 tbsp oregano

1 large bunch kale, cleaned, stems discarded, rough chopped

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

8 oz fettuccine pasta

Directions:

1. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, onion, and thyme to a medium pot over medium heat. Stir to coat, cover and cook until onion is softened, 5 minutes,. Uncover pot, add sausage, chili flakes and garlic, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, carefully deglaze by adding chicken broth. Return to heat and reduce for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, oregano and kale. Stir well, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Stir in an additional 2 tbsp oil plus vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

2. When sauce is almost finished cooking, add pasta to large pot and cook until al dente. Drain and toss with ragu sauce. Drizzle with olive oil.

*I modified this recipe from the Nov./Dec. issue of Clean Eating

Spring Lunch!

Spring is here and I am in the mood to make some yummy spring lunches! Yesterday, I made a Lemon Pasta with Chicken and some roasted asparagus! Then for dessert I made a fruit dip for strawberries! It's from Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Magazine! Yummy!

Lemon Pasta with Chicken
Ingredients:

1 lb dried penne (or use any pasta you want! I used farfalle!)
2 chicken breast tenders
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp roughly chopped parsley, for garnish
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 c grated parmesean (I prefer shredded, but use what you like!)

Directions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, until al dente. Drain well.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large grill pan over medium high and add chicken.

Grill until golden and completely cooked. Remove to a plate and slice.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to a saute pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta and turn heat off. Mix all together.

Remove pasta to a large bowl. Add chicken to the warm pasta and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle in chopped parsley. Add the juice of 2 lemons and mix. Before serving top with Parmesan.

Lemon Sour Cream Fruit Dip
Ingredients:

1 c (8 oz.) sour cream
1/4 c brown sugar
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Mix all ingredients. Serve with fruit! Yum!