Been about 3 weeks now and I think my post-op recovery is going well so far. The swell (sometimes causes slight breathing difficulty but not a big deal) and pain are still there but I can easily move around and get out of the house now. Haven’t been doing any cooking so far (can’t lift heavy stuffs or stand too long) and I’m really missing it so much especially when I’ve to avoid certain foods (because of Chinese traditional beliefs) to prevent the risk of getting infection and scar. Guess it’s better to be safe than sorry. Other than that, I’m doing fine. Really lucky. And really blessed too to have the husband cook for me and handle the rest of the household chores so I can recuperate properly.
I’m just feeling a little emotional now to know that Gran is down with pneumonia which is not good given her age and current condition. We are getting ourselves prepared. I guess deep down inside, we already know that the day to say goodbye will eventually come but again when is it ever easy to bid farewell. Gran had once said to me when I was younger that she hoped she could just pass away in her sleep with no sickness, pain or suffering. I wish for the same. And this is the only thing I can do right now.
The husband and I love sausages. Not so much of those processed frozen frankfurters but more of the fresh, meaty ones that are packed with so much flavour. But again, they are not something that we eat on a regular basis because of their high saturated fat content. Therefore I was inspired to make sausages – healthier ones with lean chicken meat. I don’t have a sausage meat stuffing machine so I’m not making those typical sausages with casings. What I have here is ground meat shaped like a thick, long sausage but I’ve added so much spices into the meat mixture that it does taste exactly like those store-bought spicy bratwurst or Italian sausage. I even added diced Fuji apple for that extra crunch and sweetness. Oven-baked and then paired with hotdog buns and some pineapple salsa, it is just so easy to prepare a wholesome and nutritious hotdog feast at home. And best thing is, we don’t have to worry about the calories or fats 😉 Let’s dig in!
Spicy Chicken Apple Sausage Recipe
Ingredients (makes 3-4 sausages)
300g minced chicken
100g fuji apple, skin peeled & diced
1/4 tsp sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp crushed chilli flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
hotdog buns
lettuce leaves
Pineapple salsa: (combine all in a bowl and chill in fridge till ready to use)
200g pineapple, diced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, peeled & sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
1. Put all ingredients (except buns & lettuce) for the sausages in a large bowl and mix till well combined.
2. Divide the meat mixture into 3 or 4 equal portions and knead each portion into a sausage shape. Transfer onto a plate lined with parchment paper and chill in fridge for at least an hour before cooking.
3. Pre-heat oven to 190 deg C with fan. Transfer the sausages and parchment paper onto a baking tray.
4. Bake the sausages in the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes till cooked through and golden brown.
5. Serve the sausages with hotdog buns, lettuce leaves and pineapple salsa.
Loving the colours 🙂 The pineapple salsa is just so refreshing! Hope you all like this recipe 😉