Pasta substitutes

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Roukie
Roukie Posts: 41 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello all,

I am missing pasta, I just can't justify the calories that you get out of pasta, and I can't find a sub that fills the gap for me. I've tried spaghetti squash which i love but it isn't pasta, any good ideas out there?
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Replies

  • alonnadodd
    alonnadodd Posts: 66 Member
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    bump! me too!
  • Rubie81
    Rubie81 Posts: 720 Member
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    I still eat it. Instead of eating 2 cups like I use to I just have 1 cup or .5 a cup. What I like about pasta is that it's filling. SO you eat that with protein and you are good for a couple of hours.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    Squash and fake noodles like Miracle Noodle and the better tasting Noodle Slim simply wont cut it for you and you may end up binging out of carb withdrawal – to be frank.

    I've been making pasta a lot more recently now that I have a food scale. Before it was maybe 4-5x a year now it's 2x a month b/c I only eat 75g not the 85g as per the package. That means its only 273 calories not 300 and carbs is reduced as well.

    It's still a carb heavier day so I don't have a sandwich at lunch I have salad with chicken or something low on carbs but it’s great when you add your own veggies in and even better if you make your own sauce to cut down on sodium.

    Honestly I wanted to start eating it daily for lunch to increase my mid-day meals but I fear doing that…… pasta gets such a bad rap that’s for sure.
  • MzPlaya
    MzPlaya Posts: 5
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    Its not pasta but have you tried mock rice?
    :smile:
  • Rhaamses
    Rhaamses Posts: 9 Member
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    Steamed Jullianed Bok Choy Stalks or Zuccini
  • BeLightYear
    BeLightYear Posts: 1,550 Member
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    Barley! It is only 100 calories per serving, has lots of fiber and goes great with everything, just like pasta:flowerforyou:
  • pkgirrl
    pkgirrl Posts: 587
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    Spaghetti squash is a good sub in italian type meals, and bean sprouts work well in most asian dishes. AND you're getting more veggies =)
  • WomanPower79
    WomanPower79 Posts: 37
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    Delmonte French cut Green beans... .. no salt.. this is what i use as a 'spinach' pasta sub. also zucchini.... reasons I LOVE theses two is because they really take on the texture of al dente noodles. And they are so BLAND that if you marinate your seasons/sauces for about 15 minutes they take one whatever flavor ofthe dish very well. I do spaghetti squash as well. but i must say now i mostly use The green beans..
  • Still_Sossy
    Still_Sossy Posts: 868 Member
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    Spelt Pasta. Yummy ....really!

    http://nutrition.about.com/od/grainsandcereals/p/spelt.htm
  • lynda167
    lynda167 Posts: 7
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    I find that when I want pasta, nothing else will do except pasta! So I make sure that my sauce is so jam packed with veggies that I only need a very small amount of actual pasta on my plate - I get the satisfaction of eating pasta, but get tons of veggies and don't have to feel guilty!
  • Rebjones612
    Rebjones612 Posts: 408
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    If I eat past, its wheat pasta! At least its better for you.
  • Rebjones612
    Rebjones612 Posts: 408
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    Meant if I eat pasta....lol
  • redwngs13
    redwngs13 Posts: 194 Member
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    Since you're sick of just spaghetti squash alone, try mixing half spaghetti squash with half actual pasta. That way you still get pasta you're craving, but the calories are half of what it would be and it's still a filling dish.
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
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    Spelt Pasta. Yummy ....really!

    http://nutrition.about.com/od/grainsandcereals/p/spelt.htm

    Thanks for a new idea. love it. Soba noodles are another way to go if you are missing pasta! just a thought.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,227 Member
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    There is nothing wrong with pasta, but you need to exercise portion control. Also eating a high fiber pasta either whole wheat or if you don't like whole wheat some makers have fiber rich versions. Often the portion size in the nutrition section is rather large, don't be afraid to cut it down to something more reasonable. I also usually add a lot of veggies to my pasta for a much larger meal without breaking the calorie bank.
  • perogy
    perogy Posts: 1
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    whole wheat spagetti is only 175 cal / cup (I think)...that's not too bad...

    I'm with you. Love pasta!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    No need to eliminate pasta, just weigh or measure portions. There is nothing that will satisfy a pasta craving for me besides pasta. I like spaghetti squash and all but it is a poor substitute.
  • HMKan
    HMKan Posts: 472 Member
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    Yea, there's no reason to get rid of pasta altogether, unless you plan on never eating it again, even after you're at your weight loss goal. You might as well learn now how to eat it healthy.

    My Barilla thin spaghetti is 200 calories per 2 oz. dry. once it's cooked, I toss it with chicken breast and Classico Tomato and Basil sauce (which I find to have lower sugar/sodium/calories) and it's a filling meal.
  • beccafertig
    beccafertig Posts: 61 Member
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    Check out Dreamfields Pasta. It's only 5g of carbs per serving, high in fiber and a low glycemic index. I made the switch and no one in my family knew the difference. It's excellent stuff!
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    If I eat past, its wheat pasta! At least its better for you.

    Are low-glycemic carbs counted differently than regular carbs when calculating for insulin dose?

    Generally in carbohydrate counting (whether or not an insulin dose is calculated) a carb is counted as a carb, regardless of it's glycemic index. With that said, individuals that monitor glycemic index, choosing foods/beverages with a lower glycemic index more often, may succeed in fine tuning blood glucose (blood glucose) control.

    Everyone who entered Dreamfields Pasta in foods and put a serving as only 5g of carbs per serving is incorrect. A carb is a Carb and should be counted as so according to Dreamfields website. It does not cause as much of a spike in bloodsugar as other pasta but is still the same carb. Disappointing, I was hoping too!

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