Pasta

Again, I must sound like a crazy person, healthy, low fat, pasta!  I swear; pasta is not the enemy.  Also pasta is a single girl’s dream; you can make a single serving or a serving for ten people.

When I make pasta for myself I only make whole wheat pasta.  The whole wheat variety has more protein and fibre and keeps you full longer than white pasta.  Also, it is more filling meaning you eat less.  I urge you to decide for yourself; next time you are in the grocery store read and compare the nutritional values of the white pasta and the whole wheat.

I hear from a lot of people that they just don’t like the texture of whole wheat pasta; that it is too hard or chewy.  I find that when you cook the whole what pasta two minutes longer than the directions on the box indicate then the taste and texture become very similar to the white pasta we all grew up eating.  This trick seems to work for all of the pasta shapes and sizes that I have tried.  Again, this is one of the things you have to try and then decide for yourself.  When the pasta has cooked according to box directions, take a noodle out and taste it, if its cooked enough for you then perfect, if not, cook it until you like it.  Discovering your likes and dislikes at every stage of cooking is what is going to make you an accomplished cook.

You may be wondering where I weigh in on gluten free pasta; it seems that “gluten free” is everywhere lately.  Well, that’s great if you’re a celiac otherwise, who cares?  Are you drawn to peanut free desserts if you don’t have a peanut allergy?  Also, just to further my point; gluten free pasta has more calories and fat than whole wheat pasta and is lower in protein.

I have said it before and I will say it again, the key to a healthy lifestyle is portion control (and moderation).  My philosophy is that it’s not a diet; it’s a lifestyle.  A recommended portion of pasta is one cup cooked (on the box it says a quarter of the box, approximately 85 g uncooked).  This may not sound like enough food to fill you up but trust me, I have my ways.  A really great trick to a satisfying pasta dinner is adding lean protein and lots of fresh vegetables.

Next you are going to see recipes for fresh homemade pasta.  It may sound like a daunting task but making your own pasta is easy and inexpensive.  If however this really doesn’t interest you then just stick to buying whatever (whole wheat) pasta you like.

There are a few varieties for you to try and remember that these recipes are also like a blank canvas; you can add ingredients such as spinach and fresh herbs to the dough for an entirely new pasta experience.

Also, a really important step to cooking any pasta is seasoning the pasta water itself.  Until you get a feel for how much salt to add to the water, taste it!  The water should taste like the sea.

Go, whole wheat!