Braised Red Cabbage with Sausage

So here is another one of my cabbage recipes that I mentioned last week!

I love red cabbage, but usually buy the jarred sweet and sour cabbage (which is probably so bad for you but tastes so good!).  This time I decided I wanted to buy red cabbage and see what I could do with it.  While I was shopping I knew that I wanted to use apples and sausage with it, but I hadn't read a recipe for what I wanted to make.  I figured I could just wing it when I got home.  And with a little help from the interwebs, I was able to come up with something. 

Do you like red cabbage?  Ever have the jarred stuff? Mmmm....

Braised Red Cabbage with Sausage
Inspired by Cooking Light
Ingredients:
4 links chicken sausage w/sweet apples, casings removed (AFC tip: I buy pre-cooked sausage)
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 C thinly sliced red onion
6 C thinly sliced red cabbage
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 T red wine vinegar
1-2 T honey
2/3 C beer
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
pepper to taste
bay leaf

Instructions:
Heat vegetable oil in large sauce pot over medium-high heat.  Cut sausage into rounds and add to the skillet.  Add onion. Once the sausage is browned, add cabbage and remaining ingredients, bring to a boil.  Cover pot and reduce heat.  Simmer for 20 mins while stirring occasionally.  Discard bay leaf and serve.

Updated: I am linking up to Happy Hour Projects

Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Sausage and Apples

So it's a new year and I am trying to revive my (and the Husband's) diet and eat more healthfully!  Isn't that everyone's resolution - to work out and eat better?  I feel like it is my goal every year. 

I actually do pretty well in the Spring, Summer and Fall.  But when the cold weather comes, all I want to do is eat mac and cheese, or a bowl of chowder and then have a cup of cocoa and enjoy a few homemade sweets.  Of course this would all take place in front of a fire while the snow was gently falling outside!

Since I wouldn't fit into any of my pants if I ate like that everyday, I am trying to find and/or create recipes that are hearty but aren't too rich and fatty.  Are you with me?  First up is a recipe that includes some brussel sprouts (my favorite!) and some sausage.  To save some fat and calories, I used chicken sausage.  But you should use whatever makes you happy!

Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Sausage and Apples
Inspired by 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:
4-5 links chicken sausage
10 oz brussel sprouts, shredded or cut into slivers
1 apple, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1/4 C white wine
1 tsp maple syrup
squeeze of lemon
salt and pepper

Instructions:

Remove sausage from casings.  Add sausage to a large skillet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Cook sausage over medium to medium-hi heat until browned.  Add apples for a few minutes after the sausage has browned.   Remove sausage and apples from skillet.  Add wine (or chicken stock) to pan to deglaze, using your spoon or spatula to remove all of the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.  Add more wine or stock if necessary.

After the wine come to a boil, keep heat to medium-hi and add shredded brussel sprouts and season with salt and pepper.  Let the sprouts brown and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Then add back the sausage and combine with the sprouts.  Take skillet off heat and add maple syrup and squeeze a little lemon juice over the sausage/ sprout combination.  Stir a few times and serve immediately!

Updated:  I'm linking up at these parties!



Sausage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Okay, I broke down and went to the grocery store.  I couldn't have grilled chicken breast for another dinner this week!  I just couldn't.

So instead I got chicken sausage.

In general, I usually get turkey sausage, but ever since the massive recall of the ground turkey, I am just freaked out about turkey in general.  What about you?

Back to the chicken sausage.  I picked up that as well as some diced tomatoes and kale.  The original plan was to follow a recipe for Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Collard Greens & Potatoes, but the store did not have collard greens.  So I figured I would sub in kale and some broccoli rabe that I had at home.  And the recipe didn't call for sausage, but we are meat-eating folk, so I added that in as well. 

I liked the soup.  So did the Toddler.  The Husband said it was too spicy (I didn't put any spices in, just a little black pepper, so maybe the sausage was too spicy for him?).

Sausage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Inspired by Clean Eating Mag's recipe for Black Eyed Pea Stew

Ingredients:
1 package of 4-5 links of sausage, sliced or crumbled
4 C low sodium broth (I used chicken broth, but you can use veggie broth)
4 oz. kale, chopped
4 oz. broccoli rabe, chopped
1 14.5 oz can of no-salt added diced tomatoes
12 oz. red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 15.5 oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed and rained
ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
Spray bottom of Dutch oven or large sauce pan and brown sausage.  Remove sausage.  To saucepan, add broth and 2 C water, bring to boil. Add kale and broccoli rabe to liquid and simmer for about 10 mins. 

Add tomatoes and potatoes and return to simmer.  Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes.  Stir in peas and sausage and simmer until heated through.  Season with pepper to taste.

Wednesday Edition: What's New

Did you realize that the last Wednesday post (2 weeks ago) didn't have a new ingredient?  I realized it about 2 days after I did the post!  How could I just forget that?

I didn't forget this week, so now we return to our regular scheduled posting!

This week's new to me ingredient is okra.

According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, okra is used in all types of cuisines throughout the world.  Wikipedia also advises that to minimize the "goo" or "sliminess" of okra that you should leave the bean pods intact and quickly cook them.  I will remember that for next time, since I am not a fan of the "goo".

I used some frozen okra in a recipe for Creole Dirty Rice that I found in Clean Eating magazine.  Except for the goo, it came out pretty good!  Do you cook with okra?  What's your favorite recipe to use it in and how do you cook it?

Creole Dirty Rice
Recipe adapted from Clean Eating magazine
Ingredients:
1 C brown rice
1 package pre-cooked chicken sausage, sliced
cooking spray
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can red beans
1/2 - 1 C okra (sliced or whole, depending on preference)
1 bay leaf
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
4 tsp cilantro chopped

Instructions:
Cook rice according to package.  Meanwhile, brown chicken sausage in large pot sprayed with cooking spray. 

Remove chicken from pot, re-spray, and add onion, green pepper and garlic.  Saute for several minutes or until veggies are cooked through.  Add beans and 1/2 C water and bay leaf to pot and cook for 5-10 minutes over medium-low heat. 

Remove bay leaf and stir in Cajun seasoning, rice, sausage, okra, and tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and garnish with cilantro before serving.

I forgot to add cilantro!!

p.s.: stop by Two Bears Farms to enter a giveaway for some Toddler Toes labels!
p.p.s: I linked up at Chronicles of a Crazy Mom's Wednesday blog hop!