Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!

I remember as a little babe just gobbling down bowls of enriched semolina pasta. My mother made a mean marinara to top these easily chewed strings and I enjoyed every mouthful of it. Lately, I have been sticking to healthier choices such as, gluten free and sometimes whole wheat. I can't remember the last time I ate regular pasta. After eating whole grain pastas I find white pasta a little awkward to chew and not to mention how I feel afterwards. Following a trip to an Italian restaurant my family slowly moves to the car, then upon arriving home, they slowly move to the couch. I can relate to the feeling of heaviness and sleepiness. Whole wheat pasta, I do not care for as much as some of the fabulous gluten free options. Fortunately, with quinoa or brown rice pasta you do not sacrifice nutritional value as say white rice or tapioca. My personal favorite is quinoa.

Last nights dinner was a platter of quinoa linguine, topped with a creamy marinara and green beans. It was by far the quickest dinner I have made in a long time, and produced very little dishes. Yeah! I have forgotten the trouble-free practice of pasta dinners. Considering I am vegan, the sauce was made creamy with some leftover mashed potatoes and some olive oil. I have found that the fattiness of a luscious cream sauce can be mimicked so easily with a starch and a high quality fat, such as olive oil. After I sauteed the green beans I tossed them in the sauce to complete the dish. I have also blended cooked rice, steamed cauliflower and rich grapeseed oil into marinara to concoct a sort of voluminosity. Try one of these tricks, I know you will like it! Not only are they much lower in calorie and fat content, but energy to boot too. The reason quinoa pasta tops my charts is because of it's intriguing bite and great nutritional benefits. Quinoa is high in complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber. After eating a preferred 2 oz. serving I feel full and energetic, rather than ready for a nap or a doze on the loveseat. With the low fat and sodium content how could you not feel good about eating quinoa pasta. This, "Mother Grain" as the Incas used to call it, provides a nutty and rich flavor. My favorite brand to buy is Ancient Harvest Quinoa Supergrain Pasta. I like the linguine and the garden pagodas. Unfortunately, if you have a corn allergy need not eat this brand, there is a bit of corn in their recipe. Do try pure brown rice or flax enriched pasta. You will surely enjoy it's natural texture. Explore the world of pasta and tell us what you like!

Here are a couple more brands to try: Food for Life, Heartland and a much heard favorite Barilla Plus. These are easy choices to make at the supermarket and home. When you are out for dinner don't be afraid to ask your server for a healthier option to your pasta dish, you might be surprised. Just because Olive Garden isn't there yet doesn't mean that everyone else isn't. Many restaurants are recognizing the popularity and demand of gluten-free and health concious individuals. Untraditional pastas might take longer, but they are definitely worth the wait. I hope your next dinner consists of some sort of nutitious pasta dish, laughs and make sure to try recipes on the brand name websites, delicious!