Turkey Sausage & Arugula Pasta

Makes 6 servings, generous 1 1/2 cups each

Ingredients

12 ounces whole-wheat short pasta, such as shells or twists
8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links, removed from casings
3 cloves garlic, chopped
8 cups arugula or baby spinach
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
½ cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 9 to 11 minutes, or according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, arugula (or spinach) and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the greens wilt and the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.
3. Combine 1/2 cup cheese, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Measure out 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid; drain the pasta. Whisk the cooking liquid and oil into the cheese mixture; add the pasta and toss to combine. Serve the pasta topped with the sausage mixture and an extra sprinkle of cheese, if desired.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: 352 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 2 g mono); 30 mg cholesterol; 45 g carbohydrate; 20 g protein; 7 g fiber; 520 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (30% daily value), Fiber (26% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv), Calcium (15% dv).

If you happen to be vegetarian, try using Tofurky Spicy Italian Sausages. If you happen to be a steelitarin (or a robot), I would substitute chunks of steel in place, well, everything else.