I originally started this blog to
document my journey from heel striker to forefoot runner. Along the way I
started posting about running in general, and cycling and triathlons. I also
intended (and will at some point in very near future do so) to blog about my
profession of athletic training.
Recently I hit upon another topic to write on that actually relates to all of
it, nutrition, more specifically cooking nutritious meals. I’ve been cooking
fairly nutritious meals for a long time and keep playing with new recipes, and
over time I’ve come to realize that many people I know are astounded by how
easy it is for me to make healthy but tasty meals. So, I’ve decided to start
sharing some of my more successful experiments with food on here.
We all know that healthy usually
means fresh, but also frozen and to avoid processed foods. But keeping fresh
foods at home means constant trips to the grocery and we don’t always have time
for that. I try to the go with frozen, but occasionally I will throw in a can
of something, as I did for this recipe.
I took a couple of turkey Italian sausages that we had in the freezer and
lightly thawed in microwave until I could chop them up. I heated a large
skillet and dropped in the sausage to brown with about 1/2 a diced white onion
and 2 minced cloves of garlic, salt & pepper.
While that was
cooking I put 1 3/4 cups (w/ splash more) of water on to boil. Once boiling I added
in 1/4 cup farro, 1/4 cup bulger wheat, 1/4 cup quinoa, and about 1/4
cup of whole wheat spaghetti broken into ~1" pieces. (water ratio on
grains: farro 3:1, bulger wheat 2:1, quinoa 2:1, and the splash was for pasta
(needed more)).
Once sausage was cooked I added can of diced tomatoes (with liquid), 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/4 cup of chia, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, dried basil (prefer fresh herbs, but go with what you have...), and more salt & pepper.
When grain/pasta mixture had absorbed all the water I added it with some additional water (about 1/2 cup as grain was a little too al dente) into the sausage, onion, tomato, pea mixture and let simmer for a few minutes until water was absorbed and grain done.
I served with a topping of fresh grated parmesan cheese. It was quite yummy. Sorry I didn't get a pic to share (camera/phone temporarily out of order). From start to finish took about 25min and there was enough food to serve four. Nutritious, delicious, easy and quick, what’s not to like?
Once sausage was cooked I added can of diced tomatoes (with liquid), 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/4 cup of chia, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, dried basil (prefer fresh herbs, but go with what you have...), and more salt & pepper.
When grain/pasta mixture had absorbed all the water I added it with some additional water (about 1/2 cup as grain was a little too al dente) into the sausage, onion, tomato, pea mixture and let simmer for a few minutes until water was absorbed and grain done.
I served with a topping of fresh grated parmesan cheese. It was quite yummy. Sorry I didn't get a pic to share (camera/phone temporarily out of order). From start to finish took about 25min and there was enough food to serve four. Nutritious, delicious, easy and quick, what’s not to like?
**(the grains
chosen were partially for flavor but also because they had about the same
cooking time as the spaghetti so it would all be done at the same time)
**(regular Italian sausage,
or about ½-2/3 pound of ground meat could be substituted for turkey Italian
sausage)
Don't forget, March is National Athletic
Training Month: Every Body Needs An Athletic Trainer. (posts about
#NATM2013 coming soon!)
