A whole teaspoon of black pepper along with a small amount of Italian turkey sausage deliver a piquant flavor without adding too much in the way of saturated fat and calories in this quick pasta dish. For maximum taste, use a high-quality cheese.

Makes 2 servings, 2 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

4 ounces whole-wheat pasta, such as shells or fusilli
4 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage, removed from casing
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups arugula or baby spinach
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, arugula (or spinach) and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the greens wilt and the tomatoes begin to break down, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and keep warm.
3. Combine cheese, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid; drain the pasta. Whisk the cooking liquid and oil into the cheese mixture; add the pasta and toss to combine. Serve the pasta topped with the sausage-arugula mixture.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 412 calories; 16 g fat (5 g sat, 4 g mono); 45 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 9 g fiber; 637 mg sodium; 378 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (58% daily value), Vitamin A (36% dv), Calcium (26% dv), Vitamin C (24% dv), Iron (20% dv), Magnesium (19% dv), Folate (17% dv).
3 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1 1/2 medium-fat meat, 1/2 high-fat meat, 1 fat