One Pot Sausage Broccoli Pasta

Around our house, we've been running from one holiday event to the next, preparing for holiday travel, and just generally trying to survive the mayhem of life with children. I've been combing through my recipe files pulling up my easiest, kid-friendliest, and still nutritious dishes in an effort to continue to keep things as simple, healthy, and yum :) as possible despite the busy season. As I was planning the other day, this recipe came to mind as one that we have loved. It's quick and easy, and you can do it all using only one pot - which means fewer dishes to worry about after!

Happy Holidays! (Which reminds me … don't forget to enter our 100th post giveaway for the chance to win some holiday cheer from us at Pass the Fresh!)

One Pot Sausage Broccoli Pasta
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 15 minutes           COOK: 15 minutes            READY IN: 30 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 box whole grain pasta
• 1/2-2/3 pound chicken sausage, cut into small chunks (I used 2 links of Trader Joe's Sweet Pesto Chicken Sausage)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup chicken broth, divided
• 3 cups chopped broccoli pieces
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower pieces
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese (1/3 or low-fat if you have it)
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil)
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Prepare pasta in a large pot as directed on the package. Drain.
2. Using the same pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add sausages and heat thoroughly (or cook until brown if they are not pre-cooked). Add garlic and onion, and cook until the onion starts to soften. 
3. Add in 1/4 cup of the chicken broth, along with the broccoli and cauliflower pieces. Cover and cook until the broccoli turns a vibrant green and slightly softened (about 5 minutes). 
4. Stir in the cooked pasta. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth, cream cheese, and basil, stirring until the cream cheese "melts" over the pasta. 
5. Serve sprinkled with freshly ground pepper, and parmesan cheese if desired.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 1/2 cup serving    414 calories   11.1 g fat   62 g carbs    18.9 g protein    3.4 g sugar   

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Week of Menus.

Red Lentil Soup with Wild Rice

Fall = Soup. Soup = Fall. Right?! Although my husband agrees with this traditional idea of what fall means, he had no idea when he married me that I tend to take this to an extreme at times. (In all fairness, I didn't either. My love of soups has increased exponentially in my adult years, and I owe apologies to my father for failing to appreciate his many soup creations during my childhood.) I seriously love soup, though, and barely wait for the first leaf to fall to the ground before soup bowls become the main serving dish on our dinner table night after night.

One of the things that I particularly love about soups is how flexible and simple they can be. For me, there are few things more satisfying than going head to head with nearly bare cupboards, my husband looking at me wondering when we're going to get around to grocery shopping, and the unspoken "There is absolutely nothing decent to eat in this house," and coming out victorious by presenting a nutritious, tasty, and satisfying soup that looks like I'd been planning it for days. This is one of those soups. It has only a few ingredients, takes minimal prep, and is a one-pot soup wonder. The original recipe is incredibly basic and versatile, and while I can honestly eat it over and over again without tiring of it, my husband did finally admit to me that he was getting bored with it. So, I did a bit of reworking to make this version more interesting - both in taste and textures - by adding in some garam masala (an Asian/Indian flavor blend somewhat like curry), some canned tomatoes, and wild rice in place of simple brown rice. When topped with a drizzle of coconut milk, the final product had a nice combination of spice and flavor, and the rice and tomatoes added a nice blend of textures. My husband was pleased, and I think he'll start letting me add it back into the regular lineup of soups for the next several months of fall. (I should also add that this was a hit with my preschooler, as well. The thick consistency of the lentils, along with the familiar rice and appealing coconut milk, meant that he ate his entire bowl with absolutely none of the usual cajoling!)

Red Lentil Soup with Wild Rice
6 SERVINGS 
PREP: 10 minutes           COOK: 30-40 minutes            READY IN: 50 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 - 1 tablespoon garam masala (optional)
• 6 cups water (or vegetable stock)
• 1 1/3 cup red lentils (sorted and rinsed)
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• salt to taste

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• slivered almonds, if desired

DIRECTIONS

---

1. In a large pot over the stovetop, heat oil. Add the chopped onion and red pepper flakes. When the onion starts to cook and becomes translucent, add the garam masala and stir for about 1 minute until it becomes fragrant.
2. Add the water or stock, red lentils, wild rice, and tomatoes. Turn down heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the red lentils have broken down to make a thick puree. (You can add more water during cooking, if needed, to thin out the soup to the desired consistency.) Taste and add salt, as needed.
3. Serve soup topped with a drizzle of coconut milk and/or almonds.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

    1 cup serving    258 calories   5.4 g fat   40.1 g carbs    13.8 g protein    3.8 g sugar 15.1 g dietary fiber   

Happy Soup-making!
Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

I remember the first time I smelled curry. Growing up, I'd never had the fragrant spice blend because apparently (I've come to learn as an adult), it's one of the few flavors my mom actually doesn't like, and so our family never cooked with it. When I arrived for a summer study abroad in Jerusalem as a fresh, young 20-year-old I'd walk the Old City, and every time I passed an open spice market I was always struck by a particular aroma that felt as old as the stone walls and streets that I was walking along. I never could place exactly what the smell was, and for me it became the fragrance of travel and foreign lands. The mystery of curry lasted for me until I met my husband, who began introducing me to his love of Indian and other Middle Eastern and South Asian foods. Now, I use curry regularly in my cooking, and love experimenting with all the different directions you can go depending on what it's combined with.

This particular curry recipe is one of my absolute favorites. The slow cooking really allows the rich curry flavor to settle into the dish, without making it too strong or spicy. Plus, it is surprisingly easy and flexible - I can prep it in advance with the slow cooker, during nap time so that it's ready to go on a busy evening, or right at dinner time. It is basically one of those "throw it all in the pot and let it sit" recipes, and it always seems to come out well, no matter what. I've shared it several times with friends and family, and each time they've asked for the recipe afterward. One of these days maybe I'll share it with my mom in hopes of converting her to curry, also!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

6 SERVINGS 

PREP: 20-25 minutes   COOK: 6-8 hours in slow cooker or 40 minutes on stove top                            READY IN: 60 minutes

SIMPLE	HEALTHY	YUM

INGREDIENTS

---

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 2 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 cinnamon stick (I never have cinnamon sticks, so I just add in several shakes of powdered cinnamon)
• 3 whole cardamom pods or 1/4 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
• 1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound sweet potatoes (3-4 medium), unpeeled, cut bite-size 
• 2-3 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 cup Greek yogurt or light coconut milk (depending on what flavor you're going for)
• 1 cup fresh or defrosted frozen peas

DIRECTIONS

---

1. Heat oil in pan, add onion and saute until soft and golden. Add garlic and spices, stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant, then stir in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. 
2. If cooking in a crockpot, put potatoes on the bottom, then top with chicken and the tomato sauce. Set cooker to low for 6-8 hours. 
3. Half hour before serving, remove the cooked chicken pieces and shred with a fork. Add the chicken back in, fold in yogurt and peas, and add more seasonings to taste. 
4. OR without a slow cooker ... Follow directions above, but use a large pot over the stove top. Add chicken, spices, and tomatoes, cover and let simmer on medium-low for 40 minutes. Shred the chicken, then fold in yogurt and peas, and simmer for another 10 minutes. 
5. Serve over rice.
   
   

SIMPLE TIP

---

If I'm short on prep time, I honestly skip the whole sauce prep, and just throw this all (minus the yogurt and peas) into the pot, give it a stir, then let it do it's magic until I'm ready to shred the chicken and then add the peas and yogurt before serving. The spices and everything cook together into a delicious dish even when I shortcut it this way.

NUTRITION FACTS

---

 Serving size: about 1 to 1 1/2 cups   286 calories   4.6 g fat   35.7 g carbs    26.1 g protein    7.8 g sugar

Enjoy!
Recipe Adapted from The Family Dinner Cookbook.