Butternut Squash Noodles Topped with Sausage and Brussel Sprouts

Today was cloudy, dark and cold...in other words, a perfect Maine autumn day to stay in and nap! It was so hard to get motivated to make a healthy meal tonight. My almost bare refrigerator didn't help matters either. So, I forced myself to go down to the local Farm Stand with the challenge of making dinner from whatever they had available. I hit the jackpot! Beautiful winter squashes, fresh brussel sprouts, apples, last-of-the-season green beans and zucchini, locally made marinaded beets, broccoli, a sweet potato and a bunch of romaine--all locally grown, even some organic Sweet Italian Sausage! I'm set for a few days. Tonight's dinner was spontaneous and quick to throw together, but so delicious! The addition of fresh, slivered sage from my herb garden really made the dish POP! This meal is a wonderful combination of fall flavors.

Butternut Squash Noodles Topped with Sausage and Brussel Sprouts

Makes 2 servings

2 teaspoons coconut oil

1 organic Sweet Italian sausage link, casing removed

1-1/2 cups of chopped or slivered brussel sprouts

3 cups of spiralized butternut squash noodles

2 tablespoons butter

4 fresh sage leaves, rolled and then cut into slivers (chiffonade)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Spiralize the butternut squash into spaghetti-length noodles and chop the brussel sprouts; set aside.

2. In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, add the coconut oil and sausage. Break up and cook the sausage, add the brussel sprouts and sauté until the brussel sprouts are tender-crisp and beginning to turn golden.  Remove this mixture to a plate and set aside while you cook the noodles.

3. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to brown slightly before adding the butternut squash noodles to the pan. Sauté until the squash begins to soften and add the sage, salt and pepper.  Stir frequently, allowing the sage to crisp up a bit by "frying" in the hot butter. When the noodles are sufficiently softened, but not limp, divide the noodle mixture between two serving plates.

4.  Turn up the heat to medium and add the sausage mixture to the skillet for a minute or two to heat through. Spoon over the butternut squash noodles and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information per serving: 338 calories, 23.7 g carbohydrate (5.5 g dietary fiber, 4.6 g sugars), 24.3 g total fat (11.6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 70 mg cholesterol, 470 mg sodium, 125.8 mg calcium, 764 mg potassium, 10.3 g protein.  Net carbs per serving: 18.2 grams

Recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2016

All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without author's permission.