Living La Vida Holoka


Chicken Sausage Brown Rice Pasta Salad

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This gluten-free Chicken Sausage Brown Rice Pasta Salad is made with brown rice pasta and veggies. It’s a healthy salad that’s perfect for weekly meal prep!


Between our anniversary, my birthday, family parties, and everything else in between, it’s been hard to keep my healthy eating habits in check this summer.  I’ve eaten way too much ice cream – that’s for sure – and definitely started to feel it! 

I mean, I’ve made a ridiculously delicious S’mores Ice Cream Sandwich Cake a few weeks ago and had two back-to-back Mr. Softee dipped ice cream cones at my nieces’ joint birthday party (it was so worth it, at the time).  Not to mention that ice cream has been on sale nearly every week at the grocery store.  I’ve had more than enough of my fill!

So I’m restarting the Fast Metabolism Diet as a reset for my body.  But I’m doing my own version of it.  I’m still following the schedule of Monday and Tuesday being fruit and healthy carb days, Wednesday and Thursday being protein days, and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday being focused on healthy fats.  I’m just not being as strict about it. 


Since pasta salads are always a summer staple for us, I decided to make a healthier version based off a FMD pasta recipe for Chicken Sausage Fusilli.  Just like the FMD recipe, this pasta salad uses brown rice fusilli.  It’s a little stickier than traditional pasta, but it’s gluten-free and just as filling and satisfying! 

The trick in making brown rice pasta is not to overcook it or it’ll become mushy.  Draining the pasta and rinsing it with cold water stops the cooking process and gives you that perfect pasta texture!

The “bulk” of this Chicken Sausage Brown Rice Pasta Salad

 
I included the chicken sausage in my pasta salad to bulk it up and add a good dose of lean protein.  Then, I tossed in a bunch of veggies like fresh broccoli florets, roasted red peppers, zucchini, and onions.  I dressed my salad with lemon juice and Italian dressing seasoning.  Before serving, I added a little chopped parsley for some added freshness.  

Oil isn’t restricted on the FMD, but it’s mostly reserved for “healthy fats” days. So I skipped adding it to my lemon dressing. I didn’t want to saturate my pasta.  I just wanted to give it some flavoring.  You can definitely tweak the dressing, or use your favorite pasta salad dressing, if you feel it needs more.

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Chicken Sausage Brown Rice Pasta Salad

Chicken Sausage Brown Rice Pasta Salad

Ingredients

  • 6 oz. brown rice fusilli pasta
  • 3 sweet Italian chicken sausage links, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 generous cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
  • 1/3 cup roasted red pepper strips, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup zucchini, seeded and cubed
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, or Italian dressing seasoning

Instructions

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare the brown rice fusilli according to the package. Don't overcook the pasta and rinse with cold water as soon as it's done to stop the cooking process.
  2. Add the pasta to a large bowl or container.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add about a tablespoon of water and the chicken sausage to the pan. Cook until completely and browned on the outside, about 6-8 minutes.
  4. Add the chicken sausage to the pasta bowl. Then, add in the vegetables.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and Italian seasonings.
  6. Pour over the pasta salad, mix to combine, and serve.
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When I first put this pasta salad together, I think I expected it to be a bit bland and boring. But it’s so fresh, so satisfying, and has a nice flavor to it, thanks to the chicken sausage and simple lemon dressing.  Eat it cold or leave the lemon dressing out and reheat this as a warm pasta dish.

Whether or not you’re on a special diet, you can’t deny a good pasta salad during the summer!  They’re perfect for meal prepping and taste better by the day! 

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If you like this pasta salad recipe, you might enjoy these as well:

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

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Lettuce turn up the beet with this delicious Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts!  It’s a light, late summer dish that’s perfect for welcoming in some fall flavors!


Yesterday was my birthday. And while most people celebrate a birthday week or even month, I kind of ignore it.  I’ve never liked having the spotlight on me.  I’d love to crawl under the table when the birthday cake comes out and “Happy Birthday” is sung.  Plus, when it’s 90-something degrees outside, there’s not much I feel like doing other than being inside with the air conditioner pumping. 

Instead, I had a small celebration over the weekend and went on a little shopping spree my birthday morning.  One place that I stopped at was Whole Foods.  I made this roasted beet salad last week and had a craving for it again. The roasted beets give the salad a slight sweetness and every bite is a mouthful of deliciousness! 

A flavorful transition from summer to fall!

 
To me, this salad tastes like a seasonal transition. Once my birthday ends, I am so ready for the fall (in fact, I bought a Halloween lantern and fall candles during my shopping trip yesterday). Not that I wasn’t ready for it during the first heatwave, but creeping into August makes it feel like it’s just around the corner!

This salad is just the right balance of a light summer dish with cool weather veggies that welcome in the next season.  It’s perfect for making that mealtime transition from summer to fall recipes.  I even whipped up a homemade balsamic Dijon dressing to drizzle onto the salad that’s tangy and slightly spicy.


I know that beets are an iffy little root veggie for some people.  But if you’re trying them for the first time, I always recommend roasting them in a drizzle of olive oil.  Beets are earthy, but a sweetness comes out in them when they’re roasted that makes them so delicious! 

I also recommend using food safe gloves when you’re preparing beets.  They’re pretty color will stain your hands (and clothes, etc.)!  And don’t toss the tops!  They taste similar to kale and can be used in a saute with a little olive oil and garlic.

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Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Serving Size: 2

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Ingredients

    For the salad:
  • About 4 cups mixed salad greens
  • 2 medium beets, roasted and sliced
  • 1/2 small red onion, sliced
  • 1/4 cup snap peas, sliced
  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
  • 2-3 tbsp. walnut halves, crushed
  • Optional: fresh thyme
  • Balsamic Dijon dressing
    • For the balsamic Dijon dressing:
  • 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

    For the salad:
  1. Divide salad greens evenly among salad plates.
  2. Top with roasted beet slices, snap peas, goat cheese, walnuts.
  3. Garnish with fresh thyme and drizzle with balsamic Dijon dressing.
    4. For the dressing:
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil.
  5. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Then, drizzle over each of the salads.

Notes

To roast the beets: remove the stems and wash. Place the beets in foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour, or until fork tender. Once they are cool to the touch, you can easily rub the skin off of the beets. Slice and add to the salad.

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There’s really just so many great flavors going on in this salad! And it’s got such pretty, deep colors, too!  If you’re not quite ready to let go of summer salads, but are looking forward to the fall, this roasted beet salad is definitely one to put on your menu! 

If you give this salad a try, share your pics of this recipe on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats.  Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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If you like this salad recipe, you might enjoy these as well:

Mixed Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken

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Make the best of those summertime berries with this Mixed Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken and a homemade strawberry balsamic vinaigrette! It’s a light and delicious summer lunch that’s bursting with berry flavor!  


We’ve probably had the best strawberries ever growing in our garden this year. I’ll attribute that to completely relaying soil in our strawberry boxes and adding a few new plants. Of course, the weather could definitely be a factor, too.  Strawberries are down for a good drink (facts!) and they’ve had their fill lately with all of the rain we’ve been getting. 

Whatever it is, I’m entirely thankful for the big, sweet berries we’ve been plucking from the vines. Whenever I get a good handful – and when I don’t pop them straight into my mouth from the stem – I like to add them to salads.


I was totally craving a summer-inspired salad last week.  But if I was going to make a salad bursting with berries, I was going to need a lot more than what we get off our plants!  So I hit the mecca of berry sales at Whole Foods – 2 for $5 organic strawberries, 2 for $5 organic raspberries, and super cheap organic blueberries.  I loaded up on all of them!  

The mix of berries add a mouthful of sweetness to this summer inspired salad.  I’m such a fan of big salads that are full of fresh ingredients and flavors that play off of each other in every yummy forkful.  

A “berry” delicious and light summertime lunch!

 
Honestly, a big salad bowl full of greens, berries, onion, sliced almonds, and cheese would have been enough to satisfy my craving for a light, summertime lunch. But I tossed in a little chopped, grilled chicken, too.

I also topped this salad with a homemade strawberry balsamic dressing.  Sure, I could have used the bottled, berry vinaigrette in our fridge, but it’s so easy to make your own!  I was able to put some of my strawberries to good use and blended them with olive oil, balsamic, and a touch of honey! 

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Mixed Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken

Mixed Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

    For the chicken:
  • 1 large, or 2 small, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • For the salad:
  • 2 small heads of Romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped
  • 1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 1/4 cup red onion, sliced
  • 4 ounces mozzarella balls, halved
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
    • For the dressing:
  • 1 cup strawberries, cleaned and halved
  • 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp. honey

Instructions

    For the chicken:
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  2. Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  3. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for five minutes on each side, or until cooked through completely.
  4. Once cooked, let the chicken cook down for a couple minutes. Then, dice.
    5. For the salad:
  5. Add the Romaine lettuce, berries, onion, mozzarella, almonds, basil, and chicken to a salad bowl. Toss to incorporate all of the ingredients.
    6. For the dressing:
  6. Blend all of the ingredients together.
  7. Strain and pour over salad.
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If you need an idea to use up those berries picked from a local farm or want to take something red, white, and blue to a 4th of July barbecue, this mixed berry salad is it!  It’s colorful, it’s fresh, and it tastes like summer should!  It’s a little sweet, a little tangy, and a whole lot of delicious! 

Omit the chicken if you’re vegetarian or feeding a crowd at your next cookout.  The strawberry dressing makes a lot, but you might want to double the recipe for a big bash.


If this salad was all I had to eat all summer long, I definitely wouldn’t be mad.  In fact, I probably will make this most of the summer because it’s just that good!  

If you make this salad, let me know what you think in the comments!  Also, make sure that you tag me on social media with the hashtag, #livinglavidaeats.  I want to see your beautiful salad creation (and that way I can relive this recipe)! 

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If you like this salad recipe, you might enjoy these as well:

Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

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This Kale Caesar Pasta Salad is a perfect dish to meal prep and enjoy all week.  It’s a creamy, comforting twist on classic Caesar salad!


I decided to give my Instagram profile a makeover this past weekend. I gave my highlight icons a new color scheme, updated my profile info, and went through my saved stories.  While I was doing that, I came across a kale Caesar pasta salad recipe that I had made.  I never shared the step-by-step on Instagram or shared it on my blog.  That little weekend Instagram makeover was so worth it, even just for the reminder that this pasta salad existed!  I knew I had to work it into my Monday meal prep.

Monday meal prep has become an ongoing routine for me.  It gives me a chance to clean out the fridge and use some of the ingredients that I have on hand to create new meals for the week.  When I planned my meals for this week, I worked this recipe onto our menu.  We’re big fans of pasta salads!  They’re one of those dishes that seems to get better the longer it sits.  I knew that eating this salad all week definitely wouldn’t be a problem!


Pasta salads might seem like a summertime barbecue type thing, but trust me – you can work them into your menu all year long. 

I mean, it’s pasta!

Take this pasta salad, for instance.  It’s delicious on its own, but so good when you add grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp to it.  It can go from a side to a main meal just like that!

Massage the kale (yes, you read that right) for an even better salad!

 
If you’re not a big fan of kale, you can swap in some baby spinach instead.  If you don’t mind the taste and texture of kale, I definitely recommend it in this salad.  Kale holds up pretty well with all of that dressing.  Even after being massaged!  I know.  Weird.  It’s hard enough to get a massage for myself around here, but the kale manages to get one!

Massaging the kale leaves gives it a softer texture and also makes it taste less bitter.  You don’t have to put on soft music, light candles, or massage the kale for a 90 minute session.  Just add a little lemon juice and olive oil.  Then, work it into the kale leaves just until they soften.

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Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/2 box bow tie pasta
  • 10 oz. jar roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 3/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small bunch fresh kale, cleaned with stems removed
  • 1 - 15 oz. bottle light Caesar salad dressing
  • 1/2 cup or more shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta as directed. Once al dente, drain and rinse with cold water. Allow to cool completely and then pour pasta into a large bowl.
  2. Mix in the roasted red peppers, red onion, and grape tomatoes.
  3. Massage the kale with lemon juice and olive oil, then add to the salad.
  4. Pour the Caesar salad dressing onto the salad and stir well.
  5. Last, mix in the shredded Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

I started with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, but found that I wanted more so I ended up using about 3/4 cup. The amount of cheese is up to you, but start with 1/2 cup and work from there!

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So easy to make and you’ll have pasta salad for days!  I love Caesar salad and the addition of pasta just takes it to a satisfying and comforting new level!

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If you liked this pasta salad recipe, you might enjoy these as well:


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