Cooking With Amanda

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Sausage & Peppers Subs

I was drooling over different pictures in my Pinterest feed when I happened to notice someone pinned something to a comfort food board. It sort of struck me that comfort food is so unique, personal and individual. That board could be filled with absolutely anything! How could anything be left off that board?

I know some people consider thick soups and hearty stews to be comforting while others go for melted cheese, saucy pasta or warm breads to be the one food that makes them all warm and fuzzy. Then there is a whole other camp of people who would say baked goods like cake or brownies bring them to their happy place.

Finally, I imagine there is a whole party of people who go to a whole other extreme and say that whole grains, clean foods, fruits and veggies are the type of foods that bring them solace. You know what? They'd all be right! Who can define comfort food for anyone but themselves?

Want to know how I define comfort food? I do love me some gooey cheese, warm bread and a heaping bowl of pasta, but that's not my comfort food. I also adore cakes and brownies, but that's not what makes me do back flips.

It's spicy food. That's what makes me feel most at home. I don't know if it's the way the explosion of heat makes my tongue burn and my cheeks feel flushed but spicy food totally makes me feel loved.

These sausage and pepper subs just might have something that almost everyone could find comfort in. Thick hoagie rolls are filled with mildly spicy Italian sausage, crisp, vibrant bell peppers, lots of gooey, melted cheese and a perfectly spicy sauce.

The sauce is dynamite! This tomatoes rich sauce has a dose of harissa. Harissa is a Middle Eastern paste made out of a variety of roasted peppers. I found it adds a slightly sweet heat to the sauce. You could certainly leave it out; your sausage sub will stay taste divine. On the flip side, you could add more than the quarter cup I use. It's all about comfort here. Eat what you love and you will be happy - that's my new motto!

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Sausage & Peppers Subs Recipe

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Ingredients

1 pound italian sausage links
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped shallot
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
14 ounces crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste, 6 ounces
1/4 cup harissa, optional
pinch of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup shredded italian blend cheese
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
5 hoagie buns

Directions

Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to a large skillet. Add sausage links and brown for 6-8 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add shallot and garlic to pan, cook for 1-2 minutes or until soft, stirring as they cook. Add both peppers to pan. Continue to cook vegetables for another 4-5 minutes or just until they begin to soften but still have some bite to them.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano and basil. Add Harissa if using. Stir. Let sauce simmer for additional 5 minutes.
Cut sausage links on the bias into 3 chunks per link. Add sausage to sauce and let sausage cook another 5 minutes.
Cut sub rolls open, but do not slice all the way through. Fill each roll with sausage and peppers. Arrange subs on a baking sheet and preheat your oven to broil.
Top subs with shredded cheese and broil until cheese is bubbly about 2-3 minutes. Top with fresh basil right before saving.

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Oatmeal Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie

I am all about my breakfast smoothies lately. Actually, I love them for lunch too. But this smoothie is, by far, one of my favorites.

Peanut butter and banana is such a great flavor combo, as witnessed by my peanut butter banana bread. I just love the nutty sweetness. And adding in the honey is like making my favorite sandwich in liquid form. Peanut butter, banana and honey sandwiches, anyone?!

Oatmeal Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie Picture

This peanut butter banana oatmeal smoothie makes are really hearty breakfast without much work. The oats make this smoothie filling and will keep you satisfied for quite a while. Adding oats into my smoothies are one way I like to enjoy a healthy breakfast (or quick lunch) on the go. Sometimes you just don't even have time to sit and eat something with a spoon. Sad but true.

I used peanut butter powder in this smoothie. It's a fun new product I found when shopping at the wholesale store when I was stocking up on coconut oil and other products that are outrageously expensive at my regular grocery store.

Oatmeal Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie Image

Peanut butter powder is basically dehydrated peanut butter. The oil is removed and you're left with a powder that tastes just like peanut butter. You can add water to it to turn it back into a spread or use it as is in baked goods or smoothies like this. By removing the oil, you get a peanut butter with less fat and calories. It's kind of a neat idea and I get sucked into things like that. Hence, why I have two pounds of peanut butter powder on my counter begging to be used. I'll pretty much be making peanut butter everything for a very long time. But that's not really a bad thing.

If you don't have peanut butter powder or the idea of it just freaks you out, just use 1-2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter instead. I've made it that way in the past, it's just as good!

I sprinkled some extra peanut butter powder on top of my smoothie for fun but it's totally optional. Enjoy!

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Oatmeal Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe

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Ingredients

1/2 cup certified gluten free oats
1 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 banana, sliced and frozen
1 tablespoon raw honey
2 tablespoons peanut butter powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Add the gluten-free oats into your blender and blend until the oats become a fine powder.
Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until completely smooth.
Add more liquid for a thinner smoothie.
Serve immediately.