Yesterday afternoon I made the mistake of asking my (not so) lovely husband what he would like for dinner. A word to the wise, "not fish" is not a helpful answer. There I was, like a rabbit in headlights in the middle of Miles and paralysed with indecision. I now needed a wheat-free, dairy-free, fish-free, reasonably healthy and quick dinner, that wasn't going to cost me $90. I was totally stuck. With the seconds ticking away and only minutes to get to Chloe and whizz out of town before the rush-hour traffic, I eventually decided that an omelet was a perfect – albeit unimaginative – solution. But then look what I found next to the eggs … organic sausages!

Miles may be the most expensive grocery store on the planet, but they do bring in some great allergy-friendly and organic products. Temptingly located in-between work and daycare, it's often my last minute stop-gap. Fortunately, I'm getting wise to the $5 apples and $20 grapes and have learnt to shop selectively (although in the interest of fairness, I must say they do have some bargains too – including low cost eco cleaning products and Thai cooking ingredients.)

But occasional bargains aside, it's their allergy and organic options that really draw me in and so I was really delighted to discover the Applegate Farm products. As a company, Applegate Farms is a lot like Niman Ranch. Neither company use hormones to increase production or administer antibiotics to their animals. Instead, animals used for their products are healthy, handled humanely and are free-roaming. Products are mainly wheat and dairy free, and are also made without the use of chemical nitrites (preservatives) – compounds which when cooked form nitrosamines which are known carcinogens. Finally, all farming methods are sustainable, which ticks a lot of environmentally friendly boxes.

Yet Applegate Farms stand out from the "all-natural" farming crowd by taking this approach a few steps further. Not only are their products certified organic, but they have an "all of the meat, none of the mystery" philosophy. After all, just because a brand is organic or natural, doesn't mean that trotters, snouts and a long list of unmentionables don't make their way into sausages. If you are like me, and squeamish at the thought of eating certain body parts, then you'll be reassured to know that Applegate Farms states that they only use whole muscle meat. Finally! Now I can eat a sausage without fear of stray eyeballs.

However, is the concept of a "healthy sausage" really too good to be true? Possibly. The total and saturated fat content of these sausages is still fairly high, even when you choose the chicken/turkey sausage options. Having said that, the chicken/turkey sausages do have about a quarter of the fat of a regular sausage so comparatively, they are great. Note though that Applegate Farms do use salt as a preservative, so the sodium content is significant. What's the answer here? Well, Applegate works on the theory of "eat less meat, but better meat", which I actually wholeheartedly agree with. While I applaud vegetarians and vegans for their commitment, a meat-free diet is not necessarily suitable or preferable for everyone. But if you do eat meat, I would recommend that you eat better quality meat – and less of it.

With all this in mind, I incorporated the spicy chicken/turkey Andouille sausages into a pasta dish for dinner, but kept the serving size as one link per person. I bumped up the protein – and fibre – by using lentils in the sauce, which gives this dish a hearty, rustic feel. It's also a great idea to use a low-sodium pasta sauce as this helps to compensate for the fact the sausages are already salty. As the sausages are really spicy and tasty, you don't need to worry about a low-sodium sauce lacking flavor. So if you follow these kind of guidelines, these particular sausages can be incorporated into a healthy meal – enjoy!

Spicy Sausage Fusilli Pasta (serves 4, generously)

Ingredients:

16oz wholewheat or gluten-free fusilli pasta (other shapes work well too)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp light olive oil

1 large head of broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces

4 Applegate Farms organic chicken/turkey Andouille sausages, sliced into bite-sized rounds

1 tin Eden Organic onion and bayleaf lentils, drained and rinsed

1 large jar low-sodium pasta sauce (preferably organic and/or fresh)

Method:

1. Put pasta on to cook as per directions in an extra-large saucepan. Drain, rinse and set to one side. If using gluten-free pasta, I find the Tinkyada brand has the best consistency – it's reliably stocked in Supermart and Lindos Devonshire.

2. Put the broccoli onto steam; take off the heat and set to one side once tender.

3. Meanwhile, place the finely chopped onion and olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Stir frequently and cook through til tender and translucent.

4. Add the sliced sausages and the drained/rinsed lentils to the onion, stir through allowing the sausages to colour a little.

5. Add the pasta sauce. I used Amy's organic low-sodium Marinara, but choose whichever you like the look of best. Puttanesca, tomato/basil, roasted vegetable pasta sauces would all work well here, just avoid a cheesy option.

6. Once the sauce – and sausages – have heated through thoroughly, add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce. Toss gently til the pasta is well coated. If you feel like you need more sauce, add in a little extra at this point. You can also extend a jar of sauce by using tinned tomatoes or passata.

7. Ensure everything is piping hot and then serve immediately with green salad.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda@gmail.com