Let’s make a delicious and healthy Brown Rice Quinoa Pesto Pasta with Italian Chicken Sausage recipe which is perfect for any runner, cyclist, or other endurance athlete looking for a recipe with whole food ingredients, a quality complex carbohydrate source, and lean alternatives. Perfect as a pre-race meal or for carbo loading before a hard training session.
Brown Rice Quinoa Pesto Pasta with Italian Chicken Sausage
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 cups Fresh basil
3 tbsp Parmesan – Extra if you want to top with cheese afterwards
2 tbsp Lemon juice
3 tbsp Walnuts
3 Garlic cloves Minced
6 tbsp Olive Oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
8 oz Brown Rice Quinoa Pasta – Or zuchinni zoodles or whole wheat pasta
6 links Italian Chicken Sausage Diced
1 Zucchini Diced
1/2 Onion Diced
2 cups Cherry Tomatoes Cut in half
Instructions
1. Boil pasta and drain
2. Make pesto in a food processor combining the following ingredients: 2 of the garlic cloves, 5 tablespoons Olive Oil, the fresh basil, parmesan, lemon juice, walnuts, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat oil in pan on medium and cook last minced garlic clove until fragrant (~1-2 min)
4. Add onions and zuchinni to the pan and cook for a few minutes
5. Add chicken sausage and cook until they are 165 degrees and the vegetables are tender
6. Turn the skillet down low. Add the tomatoes, pesto, and pasta into the skillet. Stir together and continue to cook until tomatoes are slightly cooked, pasta has been reheated, and all ingredients are well incorporated – ~3 min.
7. Serve with fresh parmesan and top with fresh basil (optional)