Low-Calorie Moroccan Style Sausage Casserole with Heck Chicken Sausages:
I haven’t given up cooking, though at times it may seem that all I am doing is eating out. I have a store of healthy and tasty recipes that I’ve been working on over the last few months just waiting for Christmas to be over. If you are anything like me, the idea of thinking about ‘healthy eating’ when there are mince pies, chocolates and turkey dinners to be enjoyed just goes out of the window. But then there are dishes like this sausage casserole which masquerade as fattening, when in fact they are low in both fat and calories
This particular casserole is something I made to enjoy some rather special sausages that I was sent. Heck, a small independent sausage producer, pride themselves on a range of interesting and unusual sausages. Their zesty chicken sausages have around 50 calories each when cooked, are completely gluten free and are low fat. It’s a good start if you are planning a healthy dinner. So the calorie count for the dish is under 300 calories. Served with a small portion of rice or couscous, you have a meal that should be around 300 calories per portion (with 2 sausages) but which still ticks all the boxes for a winter supper. It’s warming, filling and beautifully spicy. It also keeps well in the fridge for a day or so. It’s also in no way authentic, I’ve called it Moroccan style because of the harrissa, olives, aubergine and preserved lemons.
If you wanted to make this into a one pot dish, you could easily do so by halving some baby potatoes and adding them into the mixture at the same time as the tomato and olives. But, I rather liked the clean contrast of plain boiled rice here contrasting with the spicy sauce.
Moroccan Chicken Sausage Casserole
Print recipe
| Serves | 4 |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 35 minutes |
| Total time | 40 minutes |
| Meal type | Main Dish |
| Misc | Serve Hot |
| Region | African |
Ingredients
- 8 Heck Zesty Chicken Sausages (You could substitute your own choice of spicy or zesty sausages here, just remember the pairing with lemon.)
- 1 Large Onion
- 2 Preserved lemons
- 1 Medium Aubergine
- 100g Pitted green olives
- 1 can Chopped Tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Rose Harissa
Directions
| Step 1 | Slice the onion and then fry it in olive oil gently in a deep saute pan for 8-10 minutes, till soft. Remove from the pan |
| Step 2 | Fry the sausages over a medium heat till browned on all sides. Remove from the pan |
| Step 3 | Cut the aubergine into 1inch cubes and fry over a medium heat, turning frequently, till the edges are starting to turn golden |
| Step 4 | Add the tomatoes, harissa, sliced preserved lemon and olives to the pan, return the onion and aubergine to the pan and heat gently till simmering |
| Step 5 | Cook for 15 minutes then check seasoning and add salt, pepper and additional harissa if you require a more spice |
I’m considering whether to restart the 5:2 diet in the New Year. Towards the end of 2015, I found myself eating out so much that any kind of diet just went out of the window. Generally, when I eat at home my diet is heavy on vegetables, fresh fish and homemade soups anyway, so I might simply modify my eating when I am out by option for fish or vegetarian options a little more. I’m looking for a sustainable way of living – one that is healthy and makes me feel good. Just a week of cooking for myself again has helped a lot – so perhaps I need to somehow translate that into how I eat when I am in a restaurant.
Like the idea of this recipe? Why not pin the post for later!
Disclaimer: I was sent samples of Heck sausages. I was not required to write a review – all comments are editorially given
Looks delicious! I’ll pass this ink on to my mum as she would love this! Thanks for sharing x
Looks delicious! I wish I had the time to cook like this at University. Strictly microwave meals for me during this exam period 🙁
Good luck with the exams. I wish I could say you could do it in a microwave but it wouldn’t be the same! I do love jacket potatoes from the microwave though
I’ve not tried chicken sausages before but they look good, as does your recipe. Shall look out for them!
oooh chicken sausages, loving the sound of these. Your recipe looks lovely as well
I’ve only every tried a chicken sausage on a flight – I think it was Turkish Airlines from memory – and it was white, greasy and a bit shocking to look at on my plastic plate. These however, look yummy and I am a big HECK fan so I’m sure they’re delicious!
It’s a great recipe and one I’ll try. Thanks 🙂
Fiona we have missed your inspiring 5:2 recipes. Please continue to inspire!
Thank you, that’s so kind! I’ll be doing more now!
This sounds delish. I will have to try this. It sounds pretty easy!
LOL Stevie – I only do easy!
Like Rosie, I’m passing this one on (and pinning yumming, SU). In this case to my sister. Although I don’t eat meat I clicked through and read about Heck. I am all for supporting small UK businesses and this sounds a very nice one to promote.
Have to make this. Has all my favovrite flavours
This looks yummy! I’ll file this one for the next time I get some sausage!
Yummy, we have had similar variations of this meal from Turkey to Portugal. So easy to do when our kitchen changes on a regular basis. I will try this one Fiona thanks for sharing.
ooh this looks divine