Brussels Sprouts | Liberty On Less

A whole week S and I have been MIA — so sorry dearest followers!

Between a new job, crazy life things etc we’ve been a little out of touch sans a shopping adventure on Sunday so here is a quick post of what I made for dinner last weekend!

Do you ever stroll through your local market trying to come up with things and coming up with nothing? Chicken happens to often, steak sounds complex and just plain old pasta or a frozen meal doesn’t sound appealing in the slightest. But ah-ha! You recall that you have the pinterest app on your phone and there must have been something useful that you pinned awhile back, right?

This is what caused me to make Pesto Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Brussels Sprouts — a combo that I would never come up with on my own and yet it is incredibly easy and delicious!

nommm

You will need:

1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and any yellowed/browned outer leaves removed, then sliced in half
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

(to be fair I replaced the salt and pepper part with Camp Mix!)

1 lb (16 oz.) your favorite pasta
4 Turkey sausage links (I used Sweet Italian), sliced into 1/4″ thick coins
5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup pesto — add more to taste
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1. Do you remember my Brussels Sprouts side dish recipe? Do that exactly except cut them in half instead of in quarters.

2. While those are in the oven heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until nearly-browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the sausage is browned. Then cut the sausage into 1/4 thick coins and brown edges

3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. (I begin heating my water while preparing the brussels sprouts, and added the pasta to the boiling water just after beginning to cook the sausage.)

4. Once the pasta is cooked, toss together the pasta, pesto, cooked sausage and garlic, and Brussels sprouts. Add more pesto if desired.

5. Serve warm, and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese. (Wine helps too!)

Tada! Wonderful flavor and takes about 20 minutes in total.

Enjoy!

Do you remember when your mother told you to finish your brussels sprouts and you probably protested and eventually snuck them under the table to your dog?? Okay maybe that was only me but for the longest time I was very anti sprouts until I rediscovered them a few years ago and now I cannot get enough!

Brussels sprouts, like Broccoli, contain many vitamins and anti-oxidants .. even sulforaphane– a chemical believed to have potent anticancer properties. Are you sold yet?

They are also quite possibly the easiest thing to make and I had a craving yesterday afternoon so here’s a recipe for the easiest and most nutritious side dish you can make!

Brussels Sprouts Side!

What you’ll need… plus some sprouts

Don’t have Camp Mix you say?? Well it hails from the great state of New Hampshire only but in reality is just a mix of salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion salt and celery salt.

In reality I think with just the salt, pepper and garlic you’ll be set!