Chicken Apple Sausage²

I admit, sausages make me snicker like frat boy.  "I miss Jack" - who can name the movie?

We love food reinvention at One Real Bite.  We start with a great summer meal: grilled chicken apple sausages, asian slaw, corn on the cob, and watermelon.
I buy the links at Whole Foods where they grind their own sausages (snicker) without nitrates or hormones, from real organic chicken breasts.  But, I smell all the meat (snicker) and seafood from WF before I have them pack it up because, sadly I've purchased turned items too often from the store that usually grants all of my grocery wishes.

We grill twice as many sausages as we'll need, because that luscious, smoky and sweet sausage will be reinvented into minestrone soup.

I'm partial to Tyler Florence's Hunter Minestrone, but have modified it for my very own real food meal and offer options for speed and ease.

Sherri and Tyler's Minestrone Soup
Essential recipe:

1.  Chop and saute in 2 T olive oil:
     2 celery ribs, 2 medium carrots, one onion
2.  Heat:
     1 qt chicken broth
     1 qt vegetable broth
3.  Slice:
     3 grilled chicken apple sausages  reinvention
4.  Add to heated broth:
     sauteed vegetables to broth.
    1 (28 oz) can of chopped tomatoes
    1 bay leaf
    1 or 2 cans cannelloni beans
    sausages

5.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Heat together for 15 minutes and serve or freeze.

Radical version:

Saute the following herbs olive oil before adding the vegetables:
  Thyme sprig, rosemary sprig and 8 fresh sage leaves
  (Remove before serving)

Heat broth with 1 head of garlic - halved.  Remove before adding vegetables to the broth.

Add:
   1/2 bunch chopped fresh Italian parsley
   1/2 pound partially cooked, small whole wheat rigatoni
Serve with:
   grated parmesan cheese

RECIPE

Get Me To The Greek

Mediterranean cuisine, long recognized for its light and healthy fare, includes a variety of fresh vegetables, fish and olive oil.  No matter how many salads I try, I keep coming back to the Greek.   The vegetables in this salad are also good to have on hand when a snack attack hits.  I avoid the prepared dressings where I can because they are packed with preservatives and salt and my simple flavoring just taste better.  Because I had all of these ingredients prepped in my refrigerator, the salad took me 5 minutes to create.  Try it without lettuce for an authentic Greek.   

Salad:  Lettuce - Cucumbers - Tomatoes - Red Peppers - Red Onion - Feta Cheese - Kalamata Olives - Shrimp (roasted, see When In Doubt, Roast)

Seasonings:  Red Wine Vinegar - Olive Oil - Dried Oregano - Salt and Pepper 

Mayo Clinic shares the key components of the heart-healthy Mediterranean Diet:

• Exercise and eat meals with family and friends
• Eat a generous amount of fruits and vegetables
• Consume healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil
• Use herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
• Eat small portions of nuts
• Drink red wine (in moderation for some)
• Consume very little red meat
• Eat fish or shellfish at least twice a week

RECIPE