pasta suggestions

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TheWinman
TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm a 46 year old Italian who loves his pasta. I have all the old recipes that were passed down from my ancestors from Bari, Italy. I make my own sauce from scratch, the whole nine yards. The only thing I don't do is make my own pasta from scratch. That being said, I don't want to sacrifice taste at all. At the same time I know my 1-2 days of pasta each week with traditional store bought pasta needs to change. Any suggestions on pasta I can find in the store (can be grocery store, italian import store or something from trader joes) that is much healthier but still taste just as good.
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Replies

  • pankybinky
    pankybinky Posts: 15
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    Hey!..I can't answer your question BUT I would love if you could post some of your old recipes up in the Recipe section (if you had some free time). I LOVE pasta too.
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
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    If you have a Safeway store handy, they have a good selection of fresh packaged pastas. I find them in the same aisle as the refrigerated cookie doughs, pie crusts, etc. I usually get the fettuccine or spaghetti, but they also have tortellini, ravioli, etc.

    Edit: Sorry, I can't remember the brand name.
  • sing4me4you
    sing4me4you Posts: 88 Member
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    Some of the whole wheat pastas taste good but has a different texture. They also fill you up with less due to the high fiber. A good compromise in my family (husband also Italian) is the Barilla multigrain pastas. They aren't quite white but not so brown either.
  • Silverstar46
    Silverstar46 Posts: 187 Member
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    I'm half Italian and I know exactly what you mean. I love eating pasta! Here is what I have learned:

    Just reducing the amount you eat makes a huge difference. Most of us just grab this huge portion, but the right size portion is actually putting the dry spaghetti up to a dime - most of us eat at least a quarter size instead.

    But if you want healthy and nutritious, try the wheat pastas. They have more whole grains and some of them are really fortified with a lot of good things. They taste pretty close to white, but are better for you and take on the flavor of the sauce just as well.

    Good luck!
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
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    Why does it need to change? Are you trying trying to go low carb or cut out refined carbs, going gluten free?

    You could switch to whole wheat pasta. Some other options are potato or sweet potato gnocchi and spaghetti squash. I also like trying noodles made from other grains. I just tried buckwheat noodles and I have spaghetti made from corn.
  • missprincessgina
    missprincessgina Posts: 446 Member
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    I also love pasta and have switched to whole wheat. I've tried a number of different brands and they all taste pretty good. My favorite is Delallo Organic Whole Wheat.

    I'm thinking about making my own fresh pasta. I grew up watching my grandparents make their own fresh pasta so why couldn't I. We are in the process of moving, I think a pasta machine will be a good house warming present to myself!
  • ashleymichaud
    ashleymichaud Posts: 119
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    I like to eat a brand called Dreamfields, it has high fiber, low digestible carbs, and its low on the glycemic index. It tastes good too!
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
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    Pankybinky, I will have to write them down first on paper and then post them. I remember when I asked for the recipes from my Mom. She was like, " I don't have them written down it's all in up here in my head" She could never just tell me word for word the recipe, she was like just watch me from start to finish whenever I use a different recipe. So that is what I did and like her never wrote it down, I just know it. I should really write it down for the sake of my daughters. :)
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
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    sing4me4you, Good idea with the Barilla multigrain. I have seen it but have been hesitant to try it out. Barilla is my normal pasta brand.
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
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    Silverstar, Eat less!!!! lol I grew up with my mother and aunts who would say after I would finish my second helping, "What, you don't like? Eat eat eat!!!" So I course I would have the third helping. lol I have been slowly working on that. :)
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
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    Ashley, I don't recall seeing that brand, I will have to look out for that. Thanks
  • pobski
    pobski Posts: 42 Member
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    http://miraclenoodle.com/

    I just saw that like 2 days ago. I haven't tried it, and it looks kind of expensive
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
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    Dang it, I'm sitting here replying and I forgot to quote. sorry about that.
  • whoibe
    whoibe Posts: 1
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    Just a suggestion Hungry Girl has a pasta noodle swap and it is Tofu Shirataki, see nutritional info below, I have had tofu before and it matches what you put with it. I have not tried the noodles b/c they are not sold near me but you can buy them on line. Good luck and if you try these let all of us pasta lovers know if it is worth the swap.. Happing pasta-ing... P.S. I think they are sold at a store"Whole Foods"

    Nutritional Info:

    Serving Size: 4 oz.
    Calories: 20
    Fat: .5g
    Carbs: 3g
    Protein: 1g
    Fiber: 2g


    Protein: 1g
    Fiber: 2g
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
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    Why does it need to change? Are you trying trying to go low carb or cut out refined carbs, going gluten free?

    You could switch to whole wheat pasta. Some other options are potato or sweet potato gnocchi and spaghetti squash. I also like trying noodles made from other grains. I just tried buckwheat noodles and I have spaghetti made from corn.

    Why? I think because I have been brainwashed that you should cut out the white pastas, instead of maybe just cutting down the portion size. Back to the eat in moderation thing. I have not tried sweet potato gnocchi yet and I'm really into sweet potatoes the past couple of years.
  • prettythinlove
    prettythinlove Posts: 127 Member
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    Slim pasta! It's like 14 cals per serving :-)
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 700 Member
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    Just a suggestion Hungry Girl has a pasta noodle swap and it is Tofu Shirataki, see nutritional info below, I have had tofu before and it matches what you put with it. I have not tried the noodles b/c they are not sold near me but you can buy them on line. Good luck and if you try these let all of us pasta lovers know if it is worth the swap.. Happing pasta-ing... P.S. I think they are sold at a store"Whole Foods"

    Nutritional Info:

    Serving Size: 4 oz.
    Calories: 20
    Fat: .5g
    Carbs: 3g
    Protein: 1g
    Fiber: 2g


    Protein: 1g
    Fiber: 2g

    Thank you, I will have to give that a try also. There is a whole foods about 30 minutes from me.
  • ashleymichaud
    ashleymichaud Posts: 119
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    Why? I think because I have been brainwashed that you should cut out the white pastas, instead of maybe just cutting down the portion size. Back to the eat in moderation thing. I have not tried sweet potato gnocchi yet and I'm really into sweet potatoes the past couple of years.

    Those sweet potato gnocchi are really good too!
  • Sarasari
    Sarasari Posts: 139 Member
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    I use the whole wheat or multi.As far as prtion control: I too love pasta. I also love spinach. I find that putting a cup or too of raw spinach on my plate ,under my pasta doesn't change the taste too much and makes me feel like I am eating more pasta then I am. Good luck!
  • AeolianHarp
    AeolianHarp Posts: 463 Member
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    Stick to the pasta you're currently enjoying. There's absolutely no reason to switch and you aren't any less healthier for eating it. Why sacrifice taste for assumed health benefits that aren't there? You can get your fibre and nutrients from a hundred different places. Hell, a tomato-based sauce generally has plenty of vegetables and tons of fibre, so you don't need to fret and switch your pasta. Anyone who is telling you it's healthier to switch to whole grain or whole wheat or whatever is talking nonsense. Eat your favourite pasta but eat less of it to lose weight. Simple. It's not any harder than that.

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