TINY Kitchen Paccheri Pasta with Brussels Sprouts and Chicken Sausage

It's Sunday y'all, and I am bringing you another February 400 recipe and this one is pasta. YES, pasta. Despite how I know many of us feel, pasta can be part of a low-calorie diet, and when paired with veggies and lean meats it makes for an awesomely quick, tasty, and balanced meal. In this pasta dish we're combining one of my fave veggies - brussels sprouts - and Andouille chicken sausage for a deliciously smoky and satisfying meal.

Now, this recipe is super special to me because it's made with real handmade pasta from Italy that my BFF (who lives in Vicenza, Italy) sent me over the holidays. But, don't worry friends - you don't need an Italian friend on hand to create this yummy meal, you can easily find Paccheri at most gourmet grocers, on Amazon.com, and even at Walmart! Before you say "eh, I'll just use whatever I have on hand" hear me out: Paccheri is where it's at. A little pasta goes a long way here; these big noodles are hearty and satisfying which means you need less of them for a meal, helping you manage carbs and calories like a champ while still feeling a lil' bit indulgent.

On that note: one of the things I often struggle with when cooking pasta is knowing how much to cook. I always seem to have too much or too little. Recently, a friend shared a simple rule with me that I want to pass along here because it has totally transformed my pasta prep game:

Pasta will double in size when it cooks. So, 2oz of dry pasta will yield 4oz of cooked pasta! Voila - how simple is that? The recipe below is specifically for two people - and these are BIG noodles - so we're using 2.5oz dry pasta here (which yields us about 1.5 cups of cooked pasta), but you can easily double the recipe for a family of four (or for lunch the next day!).

Enjoy!

xoxo

Tessa

INGREDIENTS

2.5 oz dry Paccheri pasta (substitute Penne if you can't find Paccheri)

2 cups boiled brussels sprouts, halved

2 links Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage, diced ( we love Al Fresco brand)

2 tbs grated parmesan cheese

1 tbs olive oil

2 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions (we prefer al dente), drain and set aside
Lightly spray a small non-stick skillet with olive oil spray
Add your diced chicken sausage, and cook over medium heat until warm
Next, add your brussels sprouts to skillet and continue cooking until sausage browns and brussels start to lightly crisp
Place drained pasta into a large mixing bowl
Add brussels and chicken sausage mixture, and use a large wooden spoon to gently combine
Next, drizzle your 1 tbs olive oil over the mixture, then add your garlic salt, pepper, and parm
Continue stirring until mixture is evenly coated with oil, cheese and spices
Serve warm, enjoy!