Blogmas #9: Meatless Monday…Italian Spicy Sausage Pasta

Hey my friends!

Now that the holidays are upon us, that means spending lots of time with family and friends. That also means family style meals…

I don’t know about you, but when I think about a hearty meal, I think about Italian food. Italian food has to be my favorite type of food. And with all the plant based meat alternatives, I don’t have to give up some of my favorite dishes.

One dish I love to make is Italian spicy sausage pasta. I think it’s not only a hearty dish, but festive due to the colors in the meal. And bonus, it’s so easy to make.

Let’s begin…

The ingredients you will need to make this meal are:

  • 1 box Tomato penne pasta (I love Barilla pasta)
  • 8 oz. Tomato basil pasta sauce ( if you don’t have time to make your own, I personally love the Ragu Simply pasta sauce because they don’t add the extra ingredients we simply don’t need)
  • 4 Plant based sausage ( I recommend the hot and spicy Beyond sausage)
  • Italian seasoning
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Extra Virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups of Baby spinach

The first thing you want to do is boil a pot of water (add a teaspoon of the olive oil, italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to the water). You always want to add the seasonings to the water, then bring to a boil. When you do this, the pasta gets infused more with the seasoning.

In a pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat the pan on medium. Cut the sausages (I like to cut them diagonally) and then add to pan. Cook on each side for about 5 minutes. Stir the pasta sauce into the pan. Add some more red pepper flakes if you like your food extra spicy. Drain the pasta and add a little at a time to the pan with the sausage and pasta sauce. Put the temperature on low to simmer because you now want to add in the spinach.

Mix spinach into the pasta and sausage. You don’t want the spinach to get too wilted, so turn the stove off once you’re done mixing.

Now all you have to do is enjoy 😋

Blogmas #8: Top 5 Gifts for Women on a Budget 🎁

So what do you get for that special woman when you’re on a budget? You want to impress her, but you don’t exactly have the funds to get her that designer bag or diamonds from her wish list?

Here are my top 5 gift ideas:

At Home Spa Kit

Who doesn’t like to have a few hours of pampering and relaxation? You can get her this beautiful spa kit that comes with slippers and a robe for less than $35. If you really want to impress her, add a couple candles to create an ambiance.

Satin Pajamas

PJs are on trend right now. And let’s be real, there isn’t anything better after a nice shower or bath than slipping into a comfy pair of silky pajamas. Get a similar set for less than $30.

Fragrance Sampler set

If you’re not sure exactly what fragrance would be perfect for her, buy this sampler that is less than $30. Once she chooses the fragrant that she loves, you’ll get a discount off the full bottle.

Travel Jewelry Case

I have three of these cases and believe me they are a must have to store your jewelry. You can get these cases in just about any color and they cost less than $30.

Gemstone Earrings by N A Waterman

And to finish off the list, you know I had to add exquisite jewelry from my jewelry line. What’s more perfect than gemstone stud earrings. Get any pair in her birthstone for less than $55.

I hope you enjoyed my 5 budget friendly gifts. Happy shopping 💋

Blogmas #7: My Birthday Message 🎁

As l start a new chapter of my life, I enter it with gratitude. I think about those that unfortunately do not get the opportunity to continue growing their story.

So my message to you all is to celebrate your birthday…celebrate growing older. Growing older means you’re given the opportunity of life.

So anyone celebrating a birthday today, I want to wish you a very Happy Birthday ⚘