Pesto Pasta with Brussels Sprouts and Apple Chicken Sausage

This is a fantastic quick, simple recipe to have in your arsenal.  In a pinch, grab some sausage and brussels sprouts on your way home from work and you can have a delicious dinner on the table in no time.  I almost always have pesto, parmesan, garlic and a variety of whole wheat pastas in stock at home.  One time, the store had no brussels sprouts, so I roasted up some zucchini “coins” instead.  That was okay, but nothing like the brussels sprouts.

Pesto Pasta with Brussels Sprouts and Apple Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:

• 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced in half
• 3 T extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 t each of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12-16 oz whole wheat orecchiette or Tinykada brown rice pasta or pasta of choice (I use 14 oz)
• 4 chicken & apple sausage links, sliced medium (or any other sausage that you like, just make sure you recognize all the ingredients on the label)
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup pesto (I never dirty a measuring cup, just spoon in however much you prefer)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400º.
2. Slice brussels sprouts, and add them to a bowl with 2 T EVOO and the salt and pepper.  Mix gently and spread them out on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
3. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until sprouts are tender and crispys are crispy.
4. Cook your pasta according to package directions while slicing your garlic and sausage links.
5. When pasta is cooked, add it to a large bowl with the pesto, parmesan, and the finished brussels sprouts.
6. In a large skillet, heat 1 T of olive oil over medium-high heat and cook your sausage links until they are browned.  During the last minute of cooking, add in the garlic.
7. Add your garlic and sausage to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, stir together, and then serve!

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven