People think healthy eating means cutting carbs out of your life. WRONG WRONG WRONG. Healthy eating is all about balance and portions. You can eat many things in moderation!
I believe this dish shows my philosophy the best. You have these ravioli, which everyone on a diet thinks is the devil. However…if you add things to pasta dishes, you expand them and end up not eating as much pasta as you thought. You are tricked into satisfying the pasta craving, while eating greens and proteins to give the body the extra nutrients it needs for the day. I also do not use a lot of oil and make a sauce using chicken stock instead. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is fast and easy! You can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes max!
You CAN eat pasta. You don’t have to deprive yourself of things you love…you just have to eat them smarter.
Recipe:
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
1 - 12 oz Package (5 Links) Spicy Jalapeño Chicken Sausage from Trader Joes (or your favorite chicken sausage) - sliced into pieces
1 - 8.8 oz Package Trader Joes Cacio e Pepe Ravioli
1 tbsp Canola Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic - minced (around 1 tbsp)
1/2 cup Trader Joes Chicken Bone Broth or Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 - 5 oz Package Baby Kale or Spinach
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Red Pepper Flakes (optional for serving)
Directions:
1. Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to a boil.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, using a deep dish sauté pan, heat the canola oil on medium high heat and then add the chicken sausage. Sauté 3-4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
4. Add half of the kale or spinach and the chicken stock to the pot. Once half wilted, add the rest of the spinach or kale and stir into the mixture.
3. When the water has come to a boil, add the ravioli and cook according to the package or until al’dente. Drain and set aside for future addition to the sauté pot.
4. While the ravioli are cooking, add oregano, and garlic powder to the sausage mixture. Cook on high 5 minutes or until reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the ravioli to the sauté pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes, carefully mixing to fully incorporate the mixture, but not breaking the ravioli. Add the Parmesan, stir to combine, season with salt, pepper and maybe red pepper flakes and serve!