Pasta Fresca

For busy weeknights, nothing beats the ease of a one-dish meal.  This pasta salad, filled with flavorful sausage and all varieties of color (translation = vitamins!) will stash in the freezer for weeks and still deliver a healthy and fresh-tasting meal in minutes.
Ingredients

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1 8-oz box Ancient Harvest Quinoa Rotelle (or other rotini pasta)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb italian chicken sausage, uncooked
1 cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
10 fresh basil leaves
6 cups spinach
2 cups (approx. 10 oz.) cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Cook pasta according to package directions.  Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot.  Add sausage, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Sautee for approximately 3 minutes, until softened.
• Add spinach one cup at a time.  Stir in until wilted, then add the next cupful.
• Mix in tomatoes and basil.  Sautee, stirring constantly, for about one minute until tomatoes are just barely softened.
• Turn off heat, and stir in pasta.  Transfer to freezer container and freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw in refrigerator.
• Combine pasta in a pot with approximately 1/3 cup water.  Cover and warm over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until warm and until pasta softens.  Add more water as necessary to soften pasta.

Prep time:  5 min.

Cook time: 20 min.

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 8

Serving Size: Appx. 1 cup

WW Points+: 5

This recipe is also a great addition to our make-ahead camping food collection of recipes.

Other Recipes You Might Like:
Mediterranean Quinoa
Mojito Melon Salad
Sweet and Sour Pork with Coconut Rice