Some active moms were talking about this recipe on Twitter, and wondering where to find it. Rumor is, it’s one of the many tasty recipes in my Sports Nutrition Guidebook! (http://www.nancyclarkrd.com). Perhaps you would like to enjoy it as well.

Pasta with Turkey Sausage and White Beans

The recipe is versatile and allows for being creative: you can make it without the turkey sausage, without the beans, or with different protein sources, such as ground beef, diced chicken, tofu, or seafood.

When I make this, I remove the casing from the sausage by cutting it with a sharp knife and then scrambling the sausage meat. The alternative is to cook the sausage whole, then cut it into coins.

1 pound turkey sausage, casing removed

12 ounces uncooked pasta, such as shells, ziti, or rotini.

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 15-ounce can white canellini beans, drained

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed into

1 1/2 cups milk, low-fat

1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

Optional: 1 small onion, diced; 1-2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; salt and pepper

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet and add the turkey sausage (and onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes) and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until done.

2. While the sausage is cooking, cook the pasta according to package directions; drain.

3. To the scrambled sausage, add the drained diced tomatoes and canellini beans. Heat through, then add the cornstarch-milk mixture. Stir until thickened, then add the parmesan cheese.

4. Add the cooked pasta; toss well and let set for a few minutes for the flavors to blend. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Yield: 5 large servings

Nutrition Information: Total calories: 2,500

Calories per serving: 500

Carbohydrate 75 g

Protein 25 g

Fat 11g