Spicy Whole Wheat Linguini with Sausage and Roasted Peppers

If only you could taste how good this dish is! But since you can't, you're going to have to take my word for it. It's everything I love in a meal and it's all ready in about 30 minutes. 

I love using spicy chicken sausage to give it a little kick, but if you want to make this mild for your family, simply swap it for sweet Italian.

I don't know about you, but for years I tried to like whole wheat pasta and never found a brand that my family would eat. Then last year I discovered DeLallo organic whole wheat pasta and it changed my life. My Italian husband who is pretty picky about his pasta also loves it, and now it's the only brand of whole wheat I will ever use. Their gluten-free pasta is also AMAZING so if you can't eat gluten, you can easily swap it out.

A few weeks ago, a few bloggers including myself got a chance to visit the Delallo Italian Marketplace in Jeanette, PA which was established back in 1954 as a small market and has grown into a large marketplace complete with the largest antipasti bar I've ever seen!

The DeLallo family visits Italy and works closely with the BEST of the best which allows them to import the highest quality pasta, tomatoes, olive oil, etc. If you are ever in that area, you must stop and visit – I was in DeLallo heaven!! Luckily, many of their products can be found in supermarkets across the country and you can also order their products online.

We stayed up the road in their home and cooked together, ate together and of course laughed together. They even made this fun video of our pasta making and some Q & A's – check it out!



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Crock Pot Minestrone Soup

This is by far the best recipe you'll ever try for Minestrone soup – a classic, hearty Italian soup with tomatoes, white beans, vegetables and pasta. You can use Swiss chard or baby kale instead of spinach if you wish and you can omit the pasta if you don't want the carbs – honestly you won't miss it with everything else in this soup.

It's just my preference, but I like to puree the beans in this soup, it thickens it and you don't even know they are in there (great for picky eaters). What makes this soup extra special, is using the rind from a wedge of parmesan or Romano cheese. I always stash them in my freezer just for soups, if you don't have one toss some grated cheese into the soup while it's cooking.

This is an old recipe I've been making for a very long time! Originally I shared this as a slow cooker recipe in 2009, which is super convenient when you are working all day and want to come home to a cooked meal. But I also love making this on the stove, so I've updated the directions for both crock pot AND stove top.

This is also great with mini turkey meatballs, or even some sauteed crumbled turkey sausage. To keep the pasta al dente, I cook the pasta separate and add it to each bowl when I serve it, rather than throwing it in the soup which winds up soaking up all the broth.

Hope you enjoy!

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Easy Macaroni Casserole

This easy baked pasta dish is made with whole wheat elbows, ground turkey, veggies, marinara sauce and cheese. I can't say enough good things about this casserole! It's comforting, kid-friendly and so easy to make because there's no need to pre-cook the pasta!

I come from the school of having to cook your pasta in plenty of water, so when someone kindly shared this recipe with me, I won't lie, I was skeptical! But I loved the outcome, and since then I've made it a few times over tweaking it to my taste and we love it!

And the whole wheat elbows from DeLallo - I'm so impressed with their taste! In fact, I like their pasta so much that I am partnering up with them this year as a brand sponsor. If you've been following me for a while you'll know that my family and I don't like the taste of whole wheat pasta. But that completely changed when I tried DeLallo, and my kids and husband liked it too!

I used whole milk mozzarella on top because the points didn't change by using reduced fat, and I love my cheese melted and gooey, but you can use whichever you prefer.

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Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta

Whole wheat pasta baked in the oven with a quick pumpkin sauce made with bacon, shallots, pecorino cheese and a touch of rosemary then topped with mozzarella cheese. This is such a great Fall dish and my husband loved how it turned out!

I'm really excited to share this pasta dish, because I finally found a brand of whole wheat pasta that me and my family actually likes. Even my husband couldn't believe it was whole wheat and thought they had to be lying. The brand is Delallo, and I honestly can't say enough good things about them.

It's definitely more of a high end pasta in price, but for me good pasta is worth paying more for. Not only is their pasta 100% whole grain, it's also organic and cut with bronze plates which is always my favorite kind of pasta. But what really gets me excited is they sell their whole wheat pasta in every pasta shape you can think of, from standard spaghetti, linguini and penne, to the more exotic shapes like orecchiette, gemelli and fusilli bucati just to name a few. I found a few of those shapes in my local supermarket, but you can also buy them on their website.

Back to this pasta dish, I wanted to make this quick so I opted for canned pumpkin. But you can make your own homemade pumpkin puree which in my opinion always tastes best! You could also use butternut squash in place of pumpkin if you wish and if you're eating gluten free you can certainly use brown rice pasta.

Canned pumpkin really has no taste, so I added flavor my sauteeing some bacon and shallots, then I added a little fresh rosemary and Pecorino Romano to mimick a pumpkin pasta gnocchi dish I love ordering out, then thinned it out with some chicken broth. My husband just happened to walk in the door when it was ready, and I love getting his opinion because he's brutally honest – and he loved it and even went back for seconds.

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Summer Pasta Salad with Baby Greens

I love making this mayo-less pasta salad with arugula, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, capers, fresh shaved Parmesan cheese and a splash of balsamic and oil. It's great for lunch or dinner, and has a healthy serving of baby greens. In the summer, when tomatoes are at their sweetest, I replace the sun dried tomatoes with fresh tomatoes from my garden.

I usually have this for dinner on those warmer nights when I want a meatless meal or just something light, and because it has pasta in it, I feel full and satisfied after I eat it. The portions are pretty large for under 200 calories (only 5 WW points plus). This also makes a great side dish if you reduce the portions when you're grilling up some burgers or chicken.

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Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

Cheesy macaroni and broccoli are topped with bread crumbs and baked to perfection. Kid friendly, vegetarian and comfort food at it's finest.

I first made this back in 2011, and it has since been very popular. Last week I made it again and updated the photos, I forgot just how good this is! This time I used rotini pasta, you can really use whatever shape you like. My step by step photos are still the original, so keep that in mind when you make this.

It's perfect if you're craving macaroni and cheese but don't want to waste a days worth of calories in one meal. You still get that same comforting taste, with a little less guilt.

When I first made this, I used a Mexican blend of cheese, because it was all I had on hand, but since I've been making it with a sharp reduced-fat Cheddar such as 50% less-fat Cabot, in my opinion this is better with a sharp cheddar to really let the cheesy flavors stand out.

To speed things up, I used pre-cut fresh broccoli. This recipe was loved by all in my home, even my not-so-crazy-about-broccoli husband loved it and leftovers are perfect for lunch. You can bake this in one large baking dish, or individual oven safe dishes for perfect portion control, or you can make half and use a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

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Linguini with Sautéed Scallops and Peas

Scallops are great for a quick meal any night of the week and are a real treat. They can be quickly sautéed, then added to salads like this Scallop and Baby Green Citrus Mojo Salad, and this delicious Scallop and Grapefruit Salad, but once in a while when I want something more substantial, I love it with pasta. Here I tossed it with some pasta and peas, for a dinner that took less than 15 minutes to make.

I love sea scallops and it takes very little effort to get delicious results. For best flavor seek out the freshest scallops. Before cooking remove the small, tough muscle attached to the side. You can easily double this recipe for four servings.

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Angel Hair Pasta with Scallops and Tomatoes

Sauteed bay scallops with tomatoes and a touch of white wine and lemon juice served over angel hair pasta.

If you're looking for a special dinner to make for your loved one this Valentine's Day, this is a perfect dish. For starters, it takes less than 15 minutes to make, so you'll have less time cooking, and more time together. Secondly, scallops date back to ancient Greece as an aphrodisiac. As legend has it, the goddess Aphrodite was carried to earth on the shell of a scallop.

Personally, I love scallops for their sweet, delicate flavor. Bay scallops are the smaller variety and are usually less expensive than sea scallops. They are wonderful tossed with pasta and take less than a minute to cook.

Because bay scallops retain so much water, it's really important that you dry them well before cooking, and you really want to cook them in a hot pan so you get a quick sear. I cook them in 2 or 3 batches depending on the size of my pan. Don't skip this step because you don't want to overcrowd the pan, otherwise the scallops will become rubbery and won't sear.

If you're family doesn't like whole wheat pasta, a great trick I like to do is use both whole wheat and semolina. You don't really notice the taste of the whole wheat and your getting the added benefits of using a whole grain.

For all you spaghetti squash lovers out there, I'm sure this would be wonderful over roasted spaghetti squash as a gluten-free, lower-carb alternative.

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Autumn Penne Pasta with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts In A Light Ragu

I'm busy working on my cookbook, so I thought since I'm making this tonight, I would revive it from the archives. Trust me it's good, and if you don't believe me read the comments!

A hearty pasta dish for a crisp Autumn day. Pasta is tossed with sauteed brussels sprouts and a quick meat ragu made light by using lean ground turkey and just enough hot Italian pork sausage to enhance the flavor of the sauce.

I know what some of you are thinking, brussels sprouts???

Trust me on this, prepared right, they are delicious!

My husband almost didn't allow me to add them to his portion claiming how much he dislikes them. He put his fork in my bowl of sauteed brussels sprouts and quickly changed his mind. He claimed I cheated by adding all that garlic to them. Well whatever works : )

In fact, all throughout the meal, he raved about what a great dish this turned out to be. Serve this with Pecorino Romano sprinkled on top and spoonful of part-skim ricotta on top, yum!!

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Pasta with Butternut Sauce, Spicy Sausage and Baby Spinach

Spicy chicken sausage is the perfect compliment to this creamy pasta dish made with butternut squash, baby spinach, parmesan and a touch of sage. It's filling and comforting on a chilly winter night.

Since making Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Sauce a few weeks back, I am officially hooked. I love how the butternut squash feels like a decadent creamy sauce without the need for heavy cream. And with the addition of parmesan and hot sausage, the end result is savory and delicious.

I am also loving Giada's new line of organic pastas sold at Target. I'm picky with my pasta and love the taste and texture of this pasta when cooked al dente. I always go for unusual pasta shapes, here I used a shape called casarecce... love!

As part of the Target Inner Circle, I got to meet Giada in person a few weeks ago at Fun and Fit in the City. Isn't she beautiful!

L-R, My daughter Karina, Me, Giada, My girlfriend Raquel

She was so sweet in person, I also got an autographed cookbook and a goody bag full of her new food products sold at Target. My favorites were of course the organic pastas. I tried a few shapes, but plan on going back to Target to try the whole wheat.

A few more things: This week I teemed up with 11 other bloggers to host a HUGE HOLIDAY giveaway... Two winners, one will win an iMac Computer! A second winner will win a $500 gift card. Hey, you never know! You gotta be in it to win it... click here for a chance to win!

And most importantly: Starting today I am making a commitment to run at least 1 mile a day until New Years. You in? It's part of the 2012 Holiday Running Streak from Runner's World. The way I see it, why wait till New Years? Let's start now, with all the baking and indulging that goes on during the Holidays, this is the perfect way to find a balance. I ran a mile this morning, I'll be running again tomorrow... if you prefer to walk, that's fine too, I would love it if you joined me. It could be inside, outside, morning, lunch time, evening... whenever you can squeeze it in. Tell me you're in, it will help keep me motivated!

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Mushroom Kale Lasagna Rolls

Lasagna rolls are delicious and make perfectly portioned meals. I usually fill them with spinach in my popular spinach lasagna rolls but have been thinking of trying them with kale for a while. I can't think of a better way to eat kale! These were wonderful, everyone in my home loved them and I will certainly be making them again. Try them for meatless Mondays!

Sorry I haven't posted much this week. Hurricane Sandy did so much damage here on Long Island, and we are still without power. Many of my friends and neighbors lost their homes and cars, so I am grateful for the temporary inconvenience, I know it could have been a lot worse. It may be a while before we get our power back, but luckily I have a small generator which gives us just enough power to keep our refrigerators on, and limited access to some internet and television.

There is certainly no short supply of food in my house, thank God so we've been cooking up a storm! It's also the only way to keep the house warm as the temperature has been dropping and keep my sanity. If you make these, I would love to know how you enjoyed them!


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Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Parmesan Sauce

Something magical happens to pasta when you combine it with a creamy butternut squash puree, a little Parmigiano Reggiano, leeks, garlic and sage.

I found this out by accident.

This started from a mistake, a butternut squash puree that was far too thin and liquidy.  A very HAPPY mistake!

This is an awesome blender!!

Sauteed leeks and a good quality cheese make this simple savory pasta dish a HUGE success, even if you're not a fan of butternut squash. You'll swear this is full of cream and butter... but it's not. This is perfect for Meatless Mondays, or any night of the week.

It's super easy to make with only a few ingredients, and is very filling. To speed this up, you can buy pre-cut butternut squash. I was craving a thick spaghetti, but any pasta shape would work. Whole wheat of gluten-free pasta would also be great! My family isn't a fan of whole wheat, so I use Ronzoni Smart Taste or Dreamfield's low carb pasta.

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Mushroom Stroganoff

A quick and easy meal, perfect for Meatless Mondays! A combination of Shiitake, Baby Portabella and Cremini mushrooms with noodles in a light creamy sauce.

I played around with Mushroom Stroganoff a few times last week (until we were sick of it) for a Meatless Monday option. Now don't get me wrong, I love Beef Stroganoff, so for me it was a challenge to get the flavor of the beef without using any meat as well as keeping it creamy yet light. The bonus of making it without the beef is that you can eat more for less calories and fat.

Using a variety of mushrooms gave nice textures and flavor and the Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste helped give me some of that beef flavor I was looking for. I love Ronzoni Smart Taste noodles, I think they have the best taste but No-yolk and Healthy Harvest are also good options.

As a kid, I always topped my Stroganoff with grated Parmesan cheese. This is completely optional, but I personally think it makes any noodle dish go from good to great. Hope you enjoy!

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Warm Pasta Salad with Corn and Zucchini

This pasta salad is heavy on summer vegetables (corn and zucchini) and gets a bit of a kick from red pepper flakes. It's a great alternative to potato salad and will be a perfect meatless entree or side dish for your next picnic or family potluck. 

Please enjoy this guest post from my friend Olga of Mango & Tomato. Olga is a culinary wiz and I'm happy to have her share a recipe with all of you here on Skinnytaste!

Hi! My name is Olga and I'm the creator of Mango & Tomato, where I've been sharing my original recipes, restaurant reviews and food photography for the last four years. Through blogging I get to tell my readers about my childhood food memories, how travel influences the food I make today and my favorite places to eat out. Most importantly, though, I get to meet the other people who are passionate about food. Mostly, these "meetings" happen through social media, but in rare cases I'm lucky to meet them in real life. Gina, is one of those people: we met during a trip to the POM Wonderful orchards and have stayed in touch ever since.

I'm psyched to be able to share a recipe with you all on Gina's blog! 

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Broccoli and Orzo

A simple side dish which combines orzo, a rice shaped pasta with fresh broccoli, garlic and oil. A perfect side for fish or chicken or enjoy it as a main meal. This was one from the archives that was ((gasp)) missing a photo. As soon as I realized this I whipped this up real quick and updated this post.

I love orzo as a side dish because it's quick and incorporates my vegetables and carbohydrates all into one easy dish. If you can find whole wheat orzo, it's great here too. I make often and everyone loves it, sometimes I even enjoy it alone for lunch by doubling the portion. Enjoy!

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Angel Hair with Zucchini and Tomatoes

Angel hair tossed with summer zucchini and tomatoes fresh from the garden. The perfect meatless meal you'll be craving again and again. Serve this with plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano!

Hope everyone had a great weekend, I was away in Seattle for a few days for the Blogher Food Convention so I thought I would share one of my older recipes I love from the archives, perfect for this time of year.  This is easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes.

For those on gluten-free diets, use brown rice pasta instead. Enjoy!

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