Sausage and Kale Pasta

Feel free to add less pasta and more kale to make this more carb friendly.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 8 oz. whole wheat or whole grain pasta
• 1 c. baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
• ½ c. sundried tomatoes
• 1 ½ c. kale
• 2 links lean turkey or chicken sausage
• 1 T whole wheat flour
• 1 c. milk
• ½ c. shredded Italian blend cheese
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Italian seasoning

Directions

Cook pasta according to package instructions. (Important: Right before draining the noodles, save a ladle-full of hot, starchy cooking water to use for the sauce.) In a skillet, sauté all vegetables and season with pepper, garlic and onion powders, and Italian seasoning to taste. Once tender, remove from pan, and cover with foil to keep warm. Remove the sausage from its casings and brown the meat in the skillet breaking apart as you go. Once cooked, remove from pan, and set aside. In the same skillet, add the flour to the pan drippings and whisk to form a roux. Gradually stir in milk followed by the reserved starchy cooking water. Reduce heat and slowly stir bringing to a gentle boil to allow sauce to thicken. Stir in shredded cheese using a figure-8 motion until well combined. Add garlic and onion powder and pepper to taste. For a thinner sauce, add more milk or cooking water. Add noodles, sausage and vegetables to the sauce. Stir to evenly coat.

Amount Per Serving: Calories 581, Total Fat 28 g, Sodium 61 mg, Total Carbohydrates 55 g, Sugars 8 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 29 g

Printed in FLAVORS OF THE WORLD 2018 CALENDAR
Healthy Recipes Submitted by UMass Memorial Health Employees