Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I loved the creamy and saucy texture of this filling spooned over a baked sweet potato.  It was a nice change of pace for dinner.  A nice green salad on the side to round out the meal was perfect.

Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Makes 4 servings

2 (8-10 ounce) sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces sweet or spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 cup marinara sauce
2 cups (2 ounces) spinach leaves
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and place a piece of aluminum foil under the rack to catch any drippings from the potatoes.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Scrub the potatoes and pierce all over with a fork.  Place potatoes in oven and bake for 45 minutes to one hour until tender when pierced with a knife.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

Add the sausage, and using a wooden spoon, break up the meat into 1/2-inch pieces.  Cook until brown and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add the marinara sauce and spinach.  Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the cream cheese until the mixture forms a creamy sauce.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut a slit in the top of each potato and gently squeeze the ends to form an opening in the top.  Spoon the sausage mixture over each potato.  Garnish with chopped Italian parsley.

Adapted from iVillage

Our rating:

Thai Red Curry Sausage

If you follow my blog at all, you know how much I love Thai food.  If you don't follow my blog, you will now realize how much I love Thai food and Italian Sausage.  I knew I had to try this recipe when I realized that it combined two of my favorite food profiles: Thai and Italian.  This recipe included Italian sausage combined with a red sauce made from sauteed vegetables, Red Curry Paste, tomato paste and canned coconut milk to produce a mouth-watering dish.  I served this mixture with brown rice.

Thai Red Curry Sausage
Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon pastured butter, ghee, or bacon fat
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package of Italian sausage or sugar free beef franks
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1 cup unsweetened original coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the onions, and cook until they are translucent.  Add the garlic and sausage.  Turn down to medium heat and saute for 6-7 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
 
Stir in the tomato paste, red curry paste, and the coconut milk.  Simmer until thickened.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slightly adapted from My Living Nutrition

Our rating:

1/2

Squash and Sausage Bake

I recently found some nitrate-free chicken, mango, jalapeno sausages at Costco and that was the inspiration for tonight's dinner.  I chopped up some butternut squash, sliced some celery and onions, tossed in some baby carrots and added nice big chunks of the sausage.  I tossed everything with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper and placed everything on a sheet pan.  The sheet pan went in a 425 degree oven for 45-50 minutes until veggies were tender.  The contrast of the spiciness of the sausage and the sweetness of the roasted vegetables was superb!

Squash and Sausage Bake
Makes 4 servings

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3 stalks celery, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 medium onion, sliced thickly
Handful of baby carrots
1 pound sausage of choice (I used Chicken, Mango and Jalapeno)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut all ingredients and toss with olive oil.  I make a pile of my ingredients in the middle of the sheet pan, drizzle them with the olive oil and toss with my hands.  Spread all ingredients out in a single layer and place sheet pan in preheated oven.  After 20 minutes, stir everything around and continue to roast for another 20 minutes.  Check for doneness - it may need another 5 or 10 minutes depending on how tender you want your vegetables.


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