Just Pasta

"Snap Out of It!"....Moonstruck, Loretta Castorini

Moonstruck is the ultimate movie that inspires Italian-style cooking for me. Probably for a lot of other people too since there are very few people who don't like Italian food! I was driving home from the gym last night and was thinking about what to have for dinner. For some reason, I was just craving marinara sauce. Maybe the tang of the tomato? I was not sure really. I thought about how I could satisfy this craving while still making a healthy meal..  

I think it's really vital to find ways to make your favorite foods while still finding short cuts to make them better for you. It's no fun to deprive yourself of the things you really want to eat. A great way to do this is to learn to cook for yourself if you don't already. Then you can substitute where you need to in recipes or modify meals you have in restaurants. Isn't that easier then pledging you'll start you diet tomorrow? Maybe it's time to snap out of the cycle.

My simple recipe combined a healthy complex carbohydrate, protein, greens and some healthy fats. Plus, it was very easy!

Chicken Sausage Arugula Pasta

1/2 Cup Quinoa Pasta (you could also use whole wheat if you prefer)

1 Cup Arugula

1 Chicken Sausage (you can pick these up at Trader Joe’s or Stop and Shop)

1/2 Cup Marinara Sauce

½ tsp Olive Oil

2 tsp Parmesan Cheese (I always prefer fresh)

Add Ground Pepper and/or Red Pepper Flakes

While I boiled the water for the pasta, I cooked the chicken sausage in pan with a cooking spray. When both were done, I combined all of the ingredients in a bowl the marinara sauce which I had heated separately. I topped it all with the Parmesan cheese, pepper, and red pepper flakes.