Farfalle with Sausage, Cannellini Beans, and Kale

**What would I do without friends? They supply me with such awesome recipes! This one is definitely a keeper. I made it for dinner a couple of weeks ago after buying some fresh kale at a farmers market. I had it for lunch the next two days (it's even good cold!). If you're not too worried about calories/fat, then add more sausage. I had never used kale before and had no idea what to do with it (so, naturally I googled it). Simply fold back each leaf and run your knife along the back to cut off the entire stem. Then chop it up, wash it, and toss it into the dish as directed.


*Use a vegetable peeler to shave fresh Parmesan cheese on top of this rustic pasta dish.

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package fresh kale
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 ounce shaved fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid; keep warm.

Drain tomatoes in a small sieve over a bowl, reserving 2 teaspoons oil; slice tomatoes. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced tomatoes, reserved 2 teaspoons tomato oil, onion, and sausage to pan; cook 10 minutes or until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute. Add seasoning, pepper, and broth to pan. Stir in kale; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Stir in pasta, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, and beans.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups pasta mixture and 2 teaspoons cheese)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 329(25% from fat); FAT 9g (sat 2.2g,mono 3g,poly 2.3g); PROTEIN 18.7g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 204mg; SODIUM 669mg; FIBER 5g; IRON 4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.7g

Jeanne Kelley, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

This is a really fun twist on pasta salad! A friend, K, made this at our Cinco de Mayo dinner the other night. Luckily she sent me home with some leftovers so I got to have them for lunch the next day. Please try this. You won't regret it. =)

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked radiatore pasta (short coiled pasta)
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2/3 cup water
1 (1.25-ounce) package 40%-less-sodium taco seasoning (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
2 cups chopped seeded tomato
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (8-ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream
Salsa (optional)

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain; set aside. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add turkey; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates and the turkey is done, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Combine pasta, turkey mixture, reduced-fat cheese, and next 6 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl.

Combine lime juice, salt, cumin, and sour cream, stirring until well blended. Pour over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with salsa, if desired.

Yield

12 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 344(30% from fat); FAT 11.4g (sat 5.3g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 23.4g; CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CALCIUM 193mg; SODIUM 632mg; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.5g

3-Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies

1 box spice cake mix
1 small can pure pumpkin
1/2 bag chocolate chips

*Combine all ingredients and stir until moistened. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes (they will still look slightly wet when done).