Friday, February 3, 2012

Oriecchiette with Sausage, Spinach and White Beans

Last week, I meal planned partially from cookbooks instead of just finding all my recipes from blogs.  I have a ton of cookbooks that sit on my shelves collecting dust.  I justify every week why I can't use one or the other: "I'm not in the mood for casseroles." "All the slow cooker recipes in that book are super unhealthy."  So usually my go to cookbooks are my healthier ones, which is where I got this recipe from.  I've seen a version of this floating around the blogs with mascarpone cheese in it.  I thought this might be a healthier version.
 
Oriecchiette with Sausage, Spinach and White Beans
adapted from Cook this, Not that
Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound Turkey Sausage
1/2 pound spinach
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning divided
1/2 pound orecchiette, or any shell type pasta (I couldn't find orecchiette in my store)
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 can white beans
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions
1) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the oil, then the sausage. Break the sausage into small pieces and cook until it browns, about 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and one teaspoon of the Italian Seasonings, and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2) About 5 minutes into the cooking time of the sausage, return the large pot of water to high heat to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Cooking time varies from brand to brand, 8 minutes is about average, check after 6.
3) When the sausage is cooked all the way through, add the spinach and cook until wilted.  Add the chicken broth, white beans, and the rest of the Italian Seasonings.  Cook until broth and beans get hot.



The chicken broth was very flavorful and everything was very tasty in this dish.  I really liked the beans and the pasta because it made for a meal with more substance.  I liked the broth as the sauce, but I think next time, I'd make more, because it doesn't really stick to the pasta as well as normal pasta sauce does.  I have to say my husband missed the pasta sauce on this dish, so I guess it isn't really a "guy dish".  But I think overall, it was a good dish.

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