It was almost 9 years ago that I got this recipe from one of my aunts. She was unable to attend my bridal shower, but sent along what had been asked of all attendees – a recipe for the new couple. It’s tasty and healthy!
Penne with Sausage and Broccoli
Reheats nicely
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta (I used rotini in the above pictures)
- 3 c broccoli florets
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz. low-fat turkey sausage
- 1/2 c low fat, low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 TB balsamic vinegar
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, adding broccoli for the last 3 minutes. Drain, and place in large bowl (3+ quart sized would be best).
- Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, adding garlic about halfway through, until sausage is no longer pink. Drain, and pour over pasta.
- In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, broth, olive oil and vinegar. Add to pasta and sausage mixture. Toss to mix all ingredients (or, do like I did – put the lid on the bowl and get your exercise by shake – shake – shaking the bowl!). Season with pepper and serve!
At first, I wasn’t a fan of the recipe, just due to the main ingredient – Turkey Sausage. I’d grown up with a lot of ground turkey (in substitute of ground beef for many recipes), and was therefore turned off of anything that included anything similar.
I’m also not a fan of broccoli. At least not cooked. I’ll chow down on it when raw (and dipped in some kind of unhealthy dip…)
It took me years to break down and try it. Presumably to get a healthier meal in my repertoire.
Low and behold, a fantastic recipe that tastes wonderful, and doesn’t make me feel like a glutton when I eat it! That is, depending on how much Parmesan I add to the final dish, of course.
Now, when I first made the recipe, I couldn’t easily find turkey sausage. So I got myself some Jenni-O Breakfast flavored Turkey Sausage, and that worked phenomenally well. Nowadays, it’s hard to find that particular brand of what I’m looking for, so I had to try a new brand today. Thankfully, it turned out just as good as before!
The moral of the story? Try something new, especially if you’re the one making it. Knowing what goes into the recipe makes all the difference, to my way of thinking.
Enjoy!