Make Your Pasta Dishes Healthier
Pasta dishes are a staple of many American diet, though it’s pretty common knowledge that pasta dish recipes aren’t exactly the most healthful. Though you won’t have much luck trying to make your favorite pasta dishes as healthy as a plate of fish and veggies, there are a few tweaks that can make your favorite staple a little better for you. Here, we’ll look at two methods for making your pasta dishes more health-friendly.
Change Your Noodles
The first step toward healthy pasta dishes is backing away from your garden-variety refined pasta. Whole-wheat pasta is just as delicious, and you’ll enjoy plenty of added health benefits. You’re adding vitamins, minerals, and as much as three times more fiber. The difference is that the pasta is made from flour that uses the entire grain seed and contains more protein.
Say Goodbye to Think Sauces
Those creamy alfredo pasta dishes you love maybe tasty, but they aren’t good for your waistline. Let’s look at a few pasta recipes that don’t rely on fatty sauces.
- Skinny Vodka Pasta: Heat a cup of marinara sauce and a diced red pepper in a saute pan. Once it’s warmed, add 1/4 of the mixture to 3.5 ounces of Greek yogurt, allowing it to temper. Whisk the yogurt mixture into the saute pan. Add cooked pasta to the pan and mix, topping your meal with parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Linguini with Fresh Vegetables: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add four cloves of minced garlic and a quarter teaspoon of pepper. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Then, add six seeded and chopped Roma tomatoes. Cook for two minutes, stirring often. Add 16 stalks worth of tipless, bias-cut 1 inch pieces of asparagus, 1/4 cup of dry white wine, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, cooking uncovered for three minutes. Throw in the asparagus tips and cook uncovered for one minute before adding a tablespoon of butter and stirring until it’s melted. Combine with your pasta and add 1/4 cup of shredded fresh basl.
- Hot Naked Spaghetti: Simply combine whole wheat pasta with garlic, olive oil, salt, Parmesan cheese, and pepper flakes. If you want a little more substance, add roasted artichokes, sundried tomatoes, or your other favorite vegetables!
Pasta dishes don’t need to break your calorie bank. Simply by moving away from refined pastas and skipping the cream sauces, you can put together a lower-calorie, delicious meal that the whole family will love.