Fusilli with Tomato and Sausage

Now that it's starting to get cooler (okay, it's been cool a couple of days here) it's time to start thinking about things that will warm your belly.  This is the perfect dish!  Pasta with Italian sausage and peppery arugula.  What could be better than a bowl of pasta on a cool day?  Portions are generous and you can feel good about putting something green in your pasta!  That's a cool day win in my opinion!

Fusilli with Tomato and Sausage (adapted from Cooking Light, May 2014)

1 lb. fusilli pasta (or any short pasta of your choice) 
5 (4 oz.) sweet Italian turkey sausage links, casing removed
5 oz. baby arugula
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 1/2 t. dried oregano
3/4 t. crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 t. sugar
3/4 t. pepper
1 t. salt
6 t. grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large soup pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.  Before draining, reserve 1 c. of the pasta water.  Drain and place the pasta back in the hot pot.  Set aside.  

While the pasta is cooking heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place the sausages in the pan and cook until browned, stirring to crumble the sausage.  Add the arugula, onion, oregano, crushed red pepper and garlic and cook two minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the reserved 1 c. pasta water, cooked pasta, tomatoes, sugar, pepper and salt.  Divide among 6 bowls and top each bowl with 1 t. grated Parmesan cheese.  

6 servings (487 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com