Five Fun Recipes for Carb Lovers - Episode 11

In this week's episode, I discuss the following recipes:

• Sheet pan noodles with pork
• Gochujang apricot glazed pork chops with sesame roasted broccoli with shrimp breadcrumbs
• Spinach macaroni and cheese 
• Sausage and chickpea spaghetti with whipped lemon ricotta
• Blue cheese and red potato tart from Smitten Kitchen

Recipe for the sausage and chickpea spaghetti with whipped lemon ricotta

Ingredients - Pasta

1 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed

½ lb whole wheat spaghetti

1 large shallot, minced

¼ tsp chili pepper flakes

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 15 oz. can of chickpeas)

Zest of a lemon

Salt and pepper

Juice of a lemon

Ingredients - Whipped lemon ricotta (Note: this will likely make more than you would need)

 

1 8 oz container of whole milk ricotta

Zest of one lemon

¼ cup of lemon juice

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp salt

2 tsp olive oil 

 

Directions

 

1. Heat on medium high heat. Brown the sausage and break up as cooking. Cook for about ten minutes. 
2. Add shallot and cook for about two minutes. 
3. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Make sure to retain 1 cup of pasta water. 
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add chili pepper flakes, chickpeas, spinach, and lemon zest to sausage. Cook until spinach is wilted and chickpeas are warmed through - about three minutes. 
5. Add pasta to the skillet. Stir in lemon juice. Add ½ cup pasta water and stir. If it needs more pasta water, then add it. 
6. Blend all ingredients for the whipped ricotta. Serve on top of pasta or stir in.

What I'm Cooking for Dinner is a food podcast focused on simple ingredients, family cooking, and cooking on a budget. I casually discuss the challenges of cooking for a family and how I manage to put dinner on the table every night with as minimal drama as possible. I don't shy away from the mistakes I make in the kitchen, recipes that don't work for me and why, and how I adapt ready-made products into a healthy, well-balanced and tasty meal. I'm obsessed with trying new recipes and new products, especially Trader Joe's limited seasonal products. 

 

"River in the Pines" by Adam Moffett is licensed under CC-BY-4.0.