Healthy Hot Italian Subs

When I first made a commitment to eating healthier, things like chicken sausage or ground chicken as pork and beef replacements did not appeal to me at all. They just seemed… wrong! After I tried a spicy Italian chicken sausage for the first time, though, I was sold. It was just as flavorful as pork, with a lot less fat. I always try to keep chicken sausage around for that reason.

Spicy Italian and andouille are definitely my go-tos, and I usually have a of couple links in the fridge or freezer. I find Trader Joe’s typically has the widest and best-priced chicken sausages, but they are now readily available at most chain grocery stores, too.

On the particular night we had these subs, I really had no clue what we were having for dinner. I scavenged around and discovered that, in addition to some spicy Italian chicken sausage, I also had about half a block of low fat mozzarella and a couple of leftover rolls from the Italian beef we’d made earlier in the week. Add a few pantry staples like diced tomatoes and frozen bell pepper strips, and we were in business for some tasty—but still healthy—subs.

Chicken Sausage Subs
(Serves 4-6)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 links (12 oz.) spicy Italian chicken sausage, sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced or 1.25 cups frozen bell pepper strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I use fire-roasted)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
4-6 long sandwich rolls
4 oz. part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded or thinly sliced (fresh mozzarella would be fabulous also)

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil.  Place the sausage slices in the hot oil and brown on one side. Flip and brown another minute. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes, until mushrooms start to release their juices.

Add the diced tomatoes, crushed red pepper, oregano, and salt to taste. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and then simmer for about 5 minutes to combine flavors.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Place open buns onto a broiler-safe pan. Broil for just a minute (or less, depending on your broiler and how close you are to the flame), until they start to get slightly crispy and golden. Top each bun with 1/4 of the sausage mixture and 1 oz. of cheese. Place back under the broiler for a minute until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Elly Kafritsas is what she refers to as a “generation 1.5 Greek”, whose mother was born in Greece and whose father was the first of his family born in the States. She cooks plenty of Greek food, but also loves experimenting with other flavors and cuisines, generally trying to keep things healthy. Elly is married with a 20 month old. In her spare (ha ha) time, she enjoys ogling Jon Hamm, loading up the DVR with too much TV, listening to music, and reading. Visit her blog at http://ellysaysopa.com.