Basil Kale Pesto & Italian Sausage Pasta

Last week I picked up some kale at the store...this bunch was MASSIVE.  Like, wouldn't even fit in the crisper drawer of our fridge massive.  I froze about half of it to use later on, made a batch of Zuppa Toscana with some, and then put most of the rest of it into this pesto. I've made a kale pesto before, but since I have basil in my garden this year, I figured it would be pretty tasty to use both together!  

This was a super-easy dinner to throw together after work.  I had the sausage cooking on one burner, the pasta water going on another, and then the pesto being blended in the food processor, so you can really work on all the elements at once.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 6 servings)
1 lb italian sausage, without casings
10 oz bowtie pasta
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic

pesto:
3-4 leaves fresh kale, stems removed
1 loose cup of fresh basil (~10-15 leaves)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet, cook the sausage until fully browned.  Drain the fat.
At the same time, start a pot of water for the pasta, and season with the salt and garlic.  When it's up to a rolling boil, add your pasta and stir occasionally. Boil your pasta 'til al dente.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the ingredients for the pesto and then blend until the kale & basil are finely minced and everything is combined into a big beautiful green mush. Should be a slightly thin paste.  Season to taste, as kale can be a little bitter--the lemon juice will help to offsite that.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain the water, and then combine all ingredients (pasta, sausage, and pesto) in that pot.  

Garnish with extra parmesan, cracked black pepper and some basil chiffonade, if you're feelin' fancy.  Serve with a side of bread, or salad, or both if you're wild & crazy like that.  Enjoy!

NutriFacts: (per serving)

• Calories485.3
• Total Fat26.8 g
• Saturated Fat10.5 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat4.0 g
• Monounsaturated Fat17.8 g
• Cholesterol60.6 mg
• Sodium1,153.6 mg
• Potassium394.8 mg
• Total Carbohydrate41.8 g
• Dietary Fiber3.6 g
• Sugars2.5 g
• Protein20.1 g

Chicken, Kale, & Quinoa Soup

So last week I got a notice from my local blood bank that they were in dire need of O- blood, which happens to be my type.  So I went in to donate—but got turned away because my iron levels were too low.  I was SO bummed, even though they told my I can come back in two weeks to try again.  But I don’t want to get turned away again, so I’ve been ramping up my iron-rich foods.

This soup was one of the inventions I threw together to try to help.  Like, literally, “what do I have in my fridge to throw in a pot?”  And I was SO happy with the way it turned out.

Quinoa is a very iron-rich foods; one cup of quinoa contains about 37% of your recommended allotment.  Kale is also a good source, with about 1mg per serving,but it’s also got a TON of Vitamin C, which helps your body to absorb iron.   And chicken doesn’t hurt—there’s about 2mg of iron in a 3.5 oz serving. 

Even though it was just a mish-mash of things thrown together, I will definitely be making this again….it was delicious and filling, and only 265 calories for a big (2.5 cup) serving!

My husband noted that it “smelled & looked healthy”, but “tastes much better than it smells”.  The seasonings and the bacon really add a ton of flavor to the veggies.

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups water

4 bouillon cubes

1 chicken breasts, boneless / skinless

1/2 tsp chicken seasoning (equal parts onion powder, garlic salt, & paprika)

Olive oil mister

1/2 onion, diced

1 zucchini, cubed

2 cups kale, chopped

3/4 cup quinoa

1 tbsp bacon crumbles

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp dried basil

salt & pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Lightly spritz a pan with olive oil & heat over medium.  Add onions, season with S&P, and sauté until translucent.

Meanwhile, add the water & bouillon to a large pot & heat on High. Add the kale, zucchini, quinoa, bacon, garlic, & seasonings….bring to a rapid boil then cover & cook for 15-20 minutes.  Add the onions when they’re done.

In the same pan, sauté the chicken breasts & season on both sides with the chicken seasoning.  Once fully cooked, cube the chicken & add it to the pot as well.  Taste as you go, and add more seasoning to your particular preference.

The soup is done when the quinoa is fully cooked.  Makes 4-6 servings.

 

(PS—The Scoop is finally closed for the winter, so I hope to be posting a lot more over the next few months!  I lovelovelove holiday cooking!!!)

 

NUTRIFACTS:

Calories 265.7

  Total Fat 5.7 g

  Saturated Fat 1.0 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g

  Cholesterol 59.5 mg

  Sodium 1,306.8 mg

  Potassium 497.3 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 26.3 g

  Dietary Fiber 4.1 g

  Sugars 4.5 g

  Protein 27.2 g

  Vitamin A 158.1 %

  Vitamin B-12 6.0 %

  Vitamin B-6 33.5 %

  Vitamin C 44.4 %

  Iron 20.2 %

Zuppa Toscana!

So, where are all my Olive Garden Groupies out there in cyberspace?  Anyone else love the OG’s soup & salad lunch as much as me?  I hope so.  And now that Olive Garden has made their famous house salad dressing available in stores, you can almost replicate this meal at home. (I say almost because I haven’t mastered the breadsticks yet.) Assuming you also love the Zuppa Toscana more than the other soups, of course.  Which I do.

And I love this version of the soup because it has tons of flavor without tons of fat, plus the added bonus of TONS of kale, which is extremely good for you AND relatively cheap (typically about $1.20/bunch, non-organic).  It’s also easy to grow if you want to go organic.  It’s an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, and K, lutein (for eye health), carotenoids & flavonoids (which help prevent cancer), and tons of fiber.  And in this recipe, it’s added to the soup near the end of cooking, so those good-for-you benefits don’t dissipate during the cooking process.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Italian sausage w/o casings
2 large russet potatoes, washed, quartered & then sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 large onion, diced
2 pieces bacon, cooked & diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups of kale, chopped (about 3-4 leaves—remove the thickest portions of the stems)
16 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth
1 quart water
1 cup half & half (the original recipe calls for heavy cream, but by using half & half we trim about 500 calories out of the whole pot without sacrificing the creaminess)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet, brown the sausage and caramelize the onions. 

In a large stockpot, boil the potatoes & garlic in the quart of water until tender.  Then add the sausage, onions, bacon, and chicken broth to the pot.  Simmer for 10 minutes, and then add the kale and half & half to the pot.  Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the kale is warmed through.

Serve with a copycat Olive Garden salad (iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, sliced pepperoncinis, croutons, parmesan, & OG salad dressing) and some toasted bread slathered with herb butter (mix 1 Tbsp of butter with a dash of garlic powder, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of crushed dried rosemary)

NUTRI-FACTS: (Makes 6 large servings)

Calories 283.7

  Total Fat 12.5 g

  Saturated Fat 5.0 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g

  Cholesterol 59.9 mg

  Sodium 757.0 mg

  Potassium 824.9 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 26.4 g

  Dietary Fiber 4.3 g

  Sugars 2.0 g

  Protein 17.3 g