Italian Pasta Dinners

Dealing with the same issue and a typical Pasta dinner consists of 2 oz. Barilla Pasta (any kind), 1/2c Prego Heart Smart Pasta Sauce and Finlandia Low Fat Mozz and a big hand full of mushrooms. Throw it all together and bake (a french onion soup bowl works great) for 20 mins at 350. Had this with a big plate of broccoli or asparagus with a Turkey Burger. 600 cals and very filling. 61 carbs total.

I know it's not a nice garlic french bread but it does the trick.

I m Italian and been useing Shirataki noodles as a replacement. I like them They have like 20 calories per serving and almost 0 carbs. They are pre cooked but putting them in the frying pan for a few first then sauce helps. I really do like them a lot.

What I am mainly wanting to know is this......when you have a pasta dinner, is it so carb loaded? Or is something off here?

Thanks.....

If I make a 'pasta', it will never be with the regular pasta due to discovering I have food allergies and sensitivities. I dont miss the pasta, the bread, any of it. And the carbohydrates are only coming from fresh vegetables...

I use things like spaghetti squash, real shirataki, or take zucchini/summer squash and turn it into a quick pasta alternative. Ive used eggplant in place of lasagna noodles for making Lasagna or Involtini...

From your post, it sounds like a carb addiction/sugar addiction.

I love adding veggies to replace extra pasta. I like pasta but usually I'll have half to 1 cup and then FILL my plate with veggies. Sometimes the zucchini noodle thing works, sometimes I just throw some fresh spinach in with the cooking pasta for the last minute or two. It's very satisfying but much lower in calories and carbs, plus you get extra nutrients too!

QUESTION: SHOULD WE EAT WHOLE GRAIN PASTA? Whole grains supply more fiber and greater nutrients. Whole grains also tend to have a lower glycemic index which means they don’t spike insulin levels. Most pasta has a low glycemic index, but it depends on how long you cook it. The longer you cook it, the higher the glycemic index. If you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, avoid regular pasta, but there are more choices. Regular pasta: semolina wheat flour (wheat and gluten), moderate glycemic index, good for normal individuals. 2 oz. 200 calories, 1 g fat, 41 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein Whole grain pasta: whole wheat flour (wheat and gluten), lower glycemic index, good for diabetics, heart disease, weight loss, constipation. 2 oz. 190 calories, 1 g fat, 34 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 9 g protein Spelt pasta: spelt flour, non-hybrid grain related to wheat (gluten), lower glycemic index, may be tolerated by people with allergies, easier to digest, more B vitamins and minerals. 2 oz. 190 calories, 1.5 g fat, 40 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 8 g protein Brown rice pasta: brown rice/rice bran (no wheat or gluten), higher glycemic index, hypoallergenic, gluten, corn, soy and wheat-free, good for celiac, wheat allergies, IBS, may not be good for diabetics and insulin resistance. 2 oz. 210 calories, 2 g fat, 43 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein Quinoa corn pasta: quinoa and corn (no wheat or gluten), moderate glycemic index, good for celiac, IBS, wheat allergies, heart disease, diabetes, weight loss, higher in minerals and B vitamins, easier to digest. 2 oz. 180 calories, 2 g fat, 35 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g fiber, 4 g protein Buckwheat pasta: buckwheat and brown rice (no wheat or gluten), low glycemic index, good for celiac, IBS, wheat allergies, heart disease, diabetes. 2 oz. 220 calories, 46 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat, 3 g fiber, 8 g protein Lentil pasta: lentils (no wheat or gluten), low glycemic index, high in minerals and B vitamins, good for celiac, IBS, wheat allergies, heart disease, diabetes. 2 oz. 190 calories, 33 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat, 5 g fiber, 13 g protein Shirataki pasta: yam flour and tofu (no wheat or gluten), low glycemic index, good for celiac, wheat allergy, heart disease, diabetes, contains soy. 4 oz. 20 calories, 0.5 g fat, 3 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 1 g protein QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE HEALTHIEST WAYS TO PREPARE PASTA? Add to soup, toss with pesto and herbs, top with marinara, vegetables and cheese.