pasta suggestions
TheWinman
Posts: 684 Member
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
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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.0
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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.0 -
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.0
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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!0 -
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.0 -
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!0 -
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!0
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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.
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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.0
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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. 0
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Ashley, I don't recall seeing that brand, I will have to look out for that. Thanks0
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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 expensive0 -
Dang it, I'm sitting here replying and I forgot to quote. sorry about that.0
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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: 2g0 -
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.0 -
Slim pasta! It's like 14 cals per serving :-)0
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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.0 -
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!0 -
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!0
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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.0
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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
That's a new one. Will have to research it a bit.0 -
We love to use quinoa pasta but there are not as many shapes- yum pasta!0
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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.
Hi I am full blooded Italian mom has all the recipes in her brain-! I am originally from Manhattan,. NY okay so here is my suggestion I eat the Barilla whole wheat it's the only one I can stand closest to white you can get I have tried it all. On the shiritake I just can't do it, its okay but for me not again, I don't want to adapt my pasta fix to that extreme I sure other people can its not for me. Hope this helps0 -
I too love pasta so I started buying pasta in the 'organic' section of my supermarket. I like Bionature organic whole wheat pasta and Hodgson Mill whole wheat whole grain pastas. DeCecco makes some decent pastas, but their whole wheat pasta has a tendency to taste a little like cardboard - savory sauces/spices work well with it though.
There's really no reason you can't eat regular pasta, just measure it. You'd be surprised at what 2oz of dry pasta yields when cooked. You can also rework some of the ingredients for the sauces, etc. Take it easy on the cheese and you'll be good to go!0 -
I too love pasta so I started buying pasta in the 'organic' section of my supermarket. I like Bionature organic whole wheat pasta and Hodgson Mill whole wheat whole grain pastas. DeCecco makes some decent pastas, but their whole wheat pasta has a tendency to taste a little like cardboard - savory sauces/spices work well with it though.
There's really no reason you can't eat regular pasta, just measure it. You'd be surprised at what 2oz of dry pasta yields when cooked. You can also rework some of the ingredients for the sauces, etc. Take it easy on the cheese and you'll be good to go!
rework the ingredients with the sauce? I don't know if I could go that far. Surprisingly, I have done much better over the years at taking it easy with the cheese. 0 -
Honestly, the flour in Europe are less refined and more protein packed. American flour used in pasta and bread (even whole wheat) is the cast off of ultra refined wheat. When you use hearty flours with higher protein/fiber content things end up harder - that's why European bread feels harder, denser, and stiffer. The same for the pasta - better and more nutritious flour. So when you go to the store look for packages with the highest fiber/protein content.
Also, pasta isn't hard to make. The dough can even be frozen. I know you don't want to make your own, but generally, pasta is flour, eggs, water - knead until your arms fall off. (Great upper body workout!)0 -
Honestly, the flour in Europe are less refined and more protein packed. American flour used in pasta and bread (even whole wheat) is the cast off of ultra refined wheat. When you use hearty flours with higher protein/fiber content things end up harder - that's why European bread feels harder, denser, and stiffer. The same for the pasta - better and more nutritious flour. So when you go to the store look for packages with the highest fiber/protein content.
Also, pasta isn't hard to make. The dough can even be frozen. I know you don't want to make your own, but generally, pasta is flour, eggs, water - knead until your arms fall off. (Great upper body workout!)
Thanks, I did not know that about European pasta. It does make sense though. I have thought about making my own pasta, I should at least give it try some day.0 -
I've lost 53lbs so far and am a very healthy weight, working on the last little bid (and toning of course) and I did it all while still eating pasta, as it is my favourite food and I adore it
What I do is I eat the nicest, most delicious pasta (fresh if possible) that I can find in the store, but I measure out 75g-100g and make sure to eat a HUGE portion of vegetables with it to fill me up, or I incorporate them into the sauce (I also make sauces from scratch mostly!) Some that taste really good are mushrooms, red onions, roasted bell pepper & courgette I also find that if I make a tuna pasta dish with the above amount of pasta I am very full and satisfied!
Mind you, I'm a girl and I'm kind of short, so perhaps you could eat more than me and still get the same results!0 -
^after all, they say the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest on the planet, and they include real pasta 0
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Yeah, those "miracle noodles" taste like crap.0
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