My husband has a bumper sticker on his truck that reads, “I love animals. They are delicious.” As that would indicate, we aren’t vegetarians. However it is important to eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. I’ve seen David slice a tomato and while adding it to his sandwich, comment that he needs more lycopenes. I wonder where he heard that? He must be paying attention. This week’s dinner is a hearty stew rich with colorful vegetables and whole-grain pasta.

Brown a pound of Italian sausage in a wide pot, turning the links so they brown evenly. Remove to cool. They are not fully cooked and will go back into the pot later. Add olive oil to the pot and sauté a chopped onion, a chopped green pepper, a handful of sliced mushrooms and 2 minced cloves of garlic. When the vegetables begin to brown, add 5-6 chopped tomatoes. Fresh is best, but you can use a 28-oz. can of whole tomatoes in juice instead. Use a spoon to gently loosen brown bits off the bottom of the pot and to break up the tomatoes. Add salt, pepper and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes. Slice the sausage into bite-sized rounds and return to the pot. Reduce the heat, cover and let simmer.

Set water to boil in another pot. Clean a bunch of kale and remove the stems. Tear or chop into smaller pieces – making about 6 cups. Salt the water and add the kale when it comes to a boil. Blanch the kale for 5 minutes. Then remove with a skimmer or slotted spoon and add directly to the sausage mixture. The sauce should have a fair amount of juice – remember this is a stew. If the tomatoes weren’t juicy enough, add a cup of chicken stock.

Using the kale water brought back up to boiling, add a pound of whole grain penne or fusilli pasta. Cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and after removing the sauce from the heat, add the pasta to the sauce.

Slowly stir in about a cup of fat-free Half-and-Half. The cream will create a rich orange-colored sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. Let the stew sit allowing the pasta to absorb some of the liquid. Meanwhile grate Parmesan or Romano cheese and slice off a few pieces of crusty bread.

Serve the stew with cheese sprinkled on top and a slice of bread. You can eat this with a fork, but believe me, you’ll want a spoon.