Italian Sausage Salad with Pesto, Tomatoes and Mozzarella
I'm often asked what I eat. THIS is what "I" eat!
While I realize I've got lots of complicated recipes on my website, those are largely to showcase an idea, or point out an interesting technique or ingredient. Other times, they're there for special occasions, such as a birthday or holiday. For the most part, I don't think most people cook complicated and elaborate meals for themselves on a regular basis. I'm no different!
This is precisely the kind of thing I eat on a regular basis. It's one of my many warm protein salads that I make (the core idea is chunks of hot meat, tossed with lettuce and vegetables, which are sometimes raw and sometimes cooked). One of my absolute favorite meals on earth is a simple salad of chicken, bacon, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese! Another consists of chicken, roasted peppers, BBQ sauce and ranch dressing! Or, what about this one with strawberries? YUM!
I also do the same thing in with fish and beef, and with a whole host of flavor profiles ... some of the time Indian, others THAI! But, the core idea is always the same ... hot cubes of meat, mixed with a variety of lettuce(s) and veggies, tossed in a giant bowl and eaten with a pitch fork.
THESE are full meals, with what would ordinarily be considered "the sides", just cooked and thrown in the bowl with things like pesto, or a vinaigrette of some kind, or ginger and soy sauce, or garam masala and some yoghurt! Big bowls of partially raw nutrient dense goodness ... quick, easy and ABSOLUTELY flavorful!
Here I'm throwing another tasty flavor combo in the pile! YUM!
While I realize I've got lots of complicated recipes on my website, those are largely to showcase an idea, or point out an interesting technique or ingredient. Other times, they're there for special occasions, such as a birthday or holiday. For the most part, I don't think most people cook complicated and elaborate meals for themselves on a regular basis. I'm no different!
This is precisely the kind of thing I eat on a regular basis. It's one of my many warm protein salads that I make (the core idea is chunks of hot meat, tossed with lettuce and vegetables, which are sometimes raw and sometimes cooked). One of my absolute favorite meals on earth is a simple salad of chicken, bacon, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese! Another consists of chicken, roasted peppers, BBQ sauce and ranch dressing! Or, what about this one with strawberries? YUM!
I also do the same thing in with fish and beef, and with a whole host of flavor profiles ... some of the time Indian, others THAI! But, the core idea is always the same ... hot cubes of meat, mixed with a variety of lettuce(s) and veggies, tossed in a giant bowl and eaten with a pitch fork.
THESE are full meals, with what would ordinarily be considered "the sides", just cooked and thrown in the bowl with things like pesto, or a vinaigrette of some kind, or ginger and soy sauce, or garam masala and some yoghurt! Big bowls of partially raw nutrient dense goodness ... quick, easy and ABSOLUTELY flavorful!
Here I'm throwing another tasty flavor combo in the pile! YUM!
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 963.5975kcal
Ingredients
- 8 links cooked italian sausage
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups baby spinach washed and stems removed
- 1 lb assorted fresh cherry tomatoes cut into halves and quarters
- 1 lb fresh mozzarella removed from water and cubed (or use boconccini)
- 2/3 cup basil pesto
- 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the sausage links into cubes or bite sized pieces. Set aside.
- Pre-heat medium sized pan over medium-high heat.
- Add olive oil and swirl around the pan. Quickly add the sausage and brown the edges.
- While the sausage cooks, in a large salad bowl combine spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella, pesto and lemon juice.
- Once the sausage is browned on the outside, add the hot sausage to the salad bowl and quickly toss with the rest of the ingredients, as well as a bit of salt and pepper.
- Divide between 4 bowls or plates and eat!
Nutrition
Serving: 4g | Calories: 963.5975kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.3525g | Protein: 53.785g | Fat: 77.405g | Fiber: 2.58g