the beList

So, you love pasta. I do, too! Before I spent a summer studying in Italy, I thought Pasta was almost always an unhealthy meal, that would just pack on pounds.  That is, until I saw it made the Italian way.  Even six years later, I still incorporate some of the healthy cooking techniques, including using fresh herbs and spices, to my recipes. While a pasta dish isn’t as healthy as, say a plate of steamed broccoli, there are a few cooking tips to beef up the nutritional value and help you feel good about eating it. Learn how!

Here are my 5 basic guidelines to cooking and eating pasta healthier.

#1 For the love of your figure, please watch your portion size.  The enormous plateful you receive at a restaurant isn’t a good measure for appropriateness! That doesn’t mean you have to starve, just keep it to a couple of cups and eat slower so you can tell when your body is full.  I also start with a raw green salad to take the edge off the appetite so I don’t inhale the delicious pasta! 

#2 Flip around your pasta to veggie ratio and use fresh herbs in your dish.  Think of your pasta dish as mostly veggies and some pasta, not the other way around. 

#3 Most of the time or always if possible, use whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta.  Whole wheat has more vitamins and minerals, much more fiber and will satisfy you longer.  It also will not spike blood sugar as much as white pasta. If you have a gluten allergy, by all means, substitute gluten free pasta. 

#4 Cook your pasta al dente.  The heartier texture might take a little getting used to, but the less cooked pasta takes your body longer to digest, again keeping your blood sugar levels lower.

 #5 Beware of unhealthy sauce ingredients. Focus less dairy heavy sauces and only salt to the extent that you need it. Instead of creamy/cheesy sauces, choose light tomato sauces, and basic olive oil sauces or even a homemade pesto. These healthier options add plenty of flavor, especially when combined with fresh herbs.  Just add a little grated, parmesan or pecorino romano on top to satisfy your desire for cheesy/salty flavor, in moderation. Also, if you like garlic, it adds tons of really healthy flavor, so feel free to use it as much as you like. A squeeze of lemon can also brighten and flavor a pasta dish. If you really like the citrus, try some lemon zest. (Only organic lemons for zesting though, since you are eating the skin.) 

Jen’s Monday Night Healthier Pasta- 40 minutes from start to finish!

(recipe shell from Taste of Home, substantially modified. This is a wonderful plan ahead meal, you can pull off in a pinch in only 40 minutes start to finish.

Serves two.

Ingredients:

3 ounces uncooked whole wheat angel hair pasta8 raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/8 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoon olive oil1 tablespoon butter

12 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces-I remove the bottom ¼ of the asparagus since the fibers can be very tough and chewy near the bottom.

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced1 cup chopped sweet onion

1 cup chopped leek

1/2 cup white wine

1-1/2 teaspoons each minced fresh basil and parsley

1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 cup grated Pecorino Romano, combine the two and sprinkle as needed before serving  

Directions: 
First, set up a large pot of water on high to get to a boil. (Follow proportion directions on pasta package.) While the pot is heating, you can get everything else ready. Make sure shrimp are completely cleaned, deveined, and peeled. (The man I bought the shrimp from offered to devein and peel for me, so ask at your market, many will be willing to do this for you!)  

Set up a large skillet and heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Sprinkle shrimp with salt and red pepper flakes.  Toss shrimp into pan and cook until pink, about 2-3 minutes.  Be careful not to overcook.  Set aside, covered to keep warm.  In the same pan add in onion, leek, and garlic, asparagus, and mushrooms.  Add another tablespoon of oil. Saute until onions and leeks are soft and translucent and asparagus is tender but slightly crisp. When the veggies are just about finished, throw the pasta in the water to cook.  (It only takes about 3 minutes or so for the angel hair to cook.)  In your veggie pan, add wine and basil and parsley. Drain pasta and add it and the shrimp back into the veggie mix.  Add butter only if necessary to keep moist. Then, just cook and stir until it is heated through and incorporated (about 1-2 minutes.) Sprinkle with cheese mixture and serve. If desired, squeeze some lemon juice over the top.

Enjoy!