Buttery Pasta w/ Sprouts & Sausages

Hi and welcome back to Ria Lives Well!

Aside from this last week {consumed by cloud and rain}, my little part of Oregon has been surprisingly sunny–considering that most residents say the city is bestowed only 30 days of sunshine a year. Well, girls were wearing their booty shorts and guys strutted in their muscle tees; the quad was crowded with Frisbee players and students studying, dozing or tanning beneath the sun. It felt like South Florida–or anywhere but Oregon. More importantly, it felt like a fluke.

Well folks, it was. And nature has realized its mistake and corrected it with persistent rain, cold winds and gray skies. Thanks, nature.

During those sunny weeks, I enjoyed a bevvy of warm weather drinks and several moments sitting under the sun until my skin stung.

Now that it’s over, I’m finding comfort once again in hot, hearty meals. This spaghetti dish drizzled in an herb butter sauce, topped with Brussels sprouts and Tofurkey sausages was right up my alley. Of course, the price for sausage links wasn’t anywhere near my alley {$4.49}, and that tiny bag of Brussels sprouts was ridiculously priced {$2.99–even though sprouts are IN SEASON, Safeway!}, I enjoyed every bite.

Buttery Pasta w/ Sprouts & Sausages

Inspired By: Nigel Slater

1.5 cups Brussels sprouts (sliced in coins) 1 Tofurkey sausage (sliced lengthwise, then diced) 3 tablespoons Earth Balance 4-7 dashes of AP seasoning 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (for sauteing) 1 serving pasta 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Earth Balance (for sauce) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon basil/oregano sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large skillet on medium heat, add butter until melted, then olive oil. Slice your sprouts into coins and saute for five minutes–in between, add 4-7 dashes of all purpose seasoning. Slice your sausage lengthwise, then dice it up. Add to Brussels sprouts and cook for five or so minutes. Prepare your pasta, set aside. In a small skillet, add five tablespoons butter and herbs. Let it simmer on low heat for a few minutes {so the flavors blend}, then remove from heat. Drizzle a judicious amount of herb butter sauce over your spaghetti, then pile on a helping of sprouts and sausages. Sea salt and pepper are very recommended.

The bulk of the flavor comes from the highly peppered sausages, as it would had you prepared it with real sausages; the herb butter sauce does a wonderful job of bringing zest to the pasta, and finally, the sprouts sapped up and then oozed out the complex of olive oil and butter, flavoring every other inch of this dish. Simple flavors really work together to make something exquisite here.

And for desserts, fresh strawberries at $1.99 a container! Score. I can appreciate this price so much more than during the winter months–and the gigantitude of each strawberry is why I’m a huge component of buying in season!

~Live Well!