Recipe: Italian Sausage and Peppers (crock pot)

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS

"This classic combination doesn't get much easier! For crisp vegetables, add the peppers and onions halfway through cooking, being sure to stir them in with the sausages."

Cook time: 8 hours

2 pounds Italian sausage, cut in half crosswise*
3 bell peppers, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
Sour cream, optional garnish

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker crock and toss well to coat vegetables and sausage pieces with the oil and spices.

Cover crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

*The sausages will NOT brown in the slow cooker. If you want them browned, sear them in a hot pan before adding to the slow cooker.

Makes 6 servings

Approximate nutritional content: calories: 555; protein: 22g; net carbs: 4g; fat: 49g; cholesterol: 115mg; sodium: 1,147mg

EASY ADD-IN: If you're a mushroom lover, feel free to add a 7-ounce can of sliced mushrooms (drained) to the recipe.

Doing so will alter the approximate nutritional content to: Calories: 564; protein: 23g; net carbs: 5.5g; fat: 49g; cholesterol: 115mg; sodium: 1,149mg

Source: The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook by Kitty Broihier and Kimberly Mayone