Spinach, Onion and Sausage Rotini

I tried out a new dish last night, and was really pleased with the final result. This dish is relatively quick, and very simple to make. Best of all, you can replace the spinach and onions with just about any vegetable you have on hand (I adapted the meal myself from a sausage and broccoli recipe).

Ingredients:

3 hot italian sausages

generous handful of spinach

one tomato, diced

1/2 an onion, diced

1/4 cup olive oil

minced garlic

salt and pepper, to taste

red pepper flakes

parmesan cheese, shredded

3/4 package of rotini pasta

I started out with the hot italian sausages, cooked in a pan over medium high heat for a total of 15 minutes. Brown on one side for 5 minutes, then flip sausages and cook for another 5 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, add a small amount of water to the pan and cover. Unless we're grilling, I always cook sausages like this and find they come out tender and juicy. Allow sausages to sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Remove sausages from pan and drain excess water. Add olive oil, onions and garlic to pan, and saute desired amount. Next, add the spinach and tomatoes. I steamed the spinach separately and then added it to the pan, but I don't think think that was necessary. I sprinkled in some salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.

Cook rotini according to package directions, and add to pan. I threw in a little more olive oil and garlic at this point. Add sliced sausage and mix. Finally, add desired amount of parmesan cheese. I threw in about 2 handfuls (I also love cheese way too much).

Voila. This meal is virtually impossible to mess up, and feels more special than just using a tomato based sauce from a jar. Probably a little healthier too! For a considerably healthier meal, you could always sub chicken for the sausage, or even forego the meat altogether.

Served with a fresh salad - spring greens mix, cucumber, tomato, carrots and almonds, topped with a small amount of parmesan cheese. Tossed with a very easy homemade dressing (see recipe below).

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tsp lemon juice

several sprinkles of lemon pepper

salt and pepper to tase

2 tsp minced garlic

Mix well and refrigerate. Add desired amount to salad. This provided a light and refreshing side to the rather heavy pasta dish.

All in all, an impromptu meal that was hearty and festive. I will definitely be making this recipe again.

--R