This week – my cooking challenge from Allison Fishman and Cooking Light went a little more smoothly. I can boil noodles much easier than quinoa. Yet – still had the quinoa! It was Sausage & Bean Ragu over Quinoa Macaroni!

I forgot about pictures until I already had most everything in the pan – it’s tomatoes, turkey sausage, northern/white beans, onion, garlic and chicken broth.

I didn’t realize the recipe called for a 1 lb. box of Quinoa Macaroni until I got home. The package from Whole Foods was only 8 oz so I threw in a little whole wheat rotini. Little did I know the macaroni was GIANT. I have no idea why – but that giant macaroni made the whole meal even better. It’s also very yellow – so it looks different than “regular” macaroni.

It doesn’t taste any different – so that’s a great way to sneak in the whole grains for folks that aren’t sure how to do it. It’s obviously more expensive ($2 or so for the 8 oz box).

Then you mix it all together – it definitely reminded me of my Dad’s goulash. I don’t think it was a traditional goulash by any means – but it’s what he called it. All the same ingredients – just in less healthy forms.

Sausage and Bean Ragù on Quinoa Macaroni

• YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups pasta and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) package quinoa macaroni
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound bulk turkey Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Romano cheese

• Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add sausage; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add broth and next 4 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Add pasta, stirring well. Top evenly with cheese. Serve immediately.