Sausage Veggie Pasta

Pasta has gotten a bad rap over the years, but Sausage Veggie Pasta will allow you to eat pasta in a portion controlled way, which is a healthy diet habit! I’ve included lots of veggies, which is my favorite Lifestyle Solution! It’s a meal in one pan and healthy fast food! 

Ingredients for Sausage Veggie Pasta

• 2 onions, sliced

• 18 oz. beer bratwurst, Italian turkey sausage or vegan spicy or Italian sausage of choice (sliced in 1/2 inch pieces)

• 1.5 pounds of small zucchini sliced lengthwise in fourths and cut in half

• 1 sliced red pepper

• 12 oz bag broccoli florets

• 8 oz. Linguine pasta (I used spinach/chive from Trader Joe’s)

• 2 T oil

• 2/3 cup water

• Salt/pepper to taste.

Directions for Sausage Veggie Pasta

• Put a pan of water on to boil to cook the pasta.

• Cook the onions and chopped sausage in oil in a skillet, until the onion is browned and the meat is cooked. Remove to a plate.

• Add the zucchini and red pepper and 1/3 cup of water and brown until crisp/tender.

• Add 1/3 cup water if pan is too dry.

• While you are browning the veggies, add the pasta and broccoli to the water and cook them as recommended on the pasta package. They should both be done about the same time.

• Drain the pasta/broccoli, and add everything back into the skillet and toss with salt and pepper.

• You can add parmesan cheese to the top if you want but it is great plain if you use spicy sausage!

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Additional Note:

This is a pasta dish, but it still follows the half plate rule. Half of the dish is veggies, 1/4 is a protein meat choice, and 1/4 is a carbohydrate. We filled our plate, and did not need anything else with it!

One might think bread would be nice with this meal, and it would be, but we try to follow the half plate rule for dinner! Vegetables are very filling.

(Serves 4 generous servings) - Enjoy!!