Hi everyone.
It’s been a wild and wacky day, so my original posting plans were obliterated by a slew of tiny errands and must-dos. In particular, I spent too much time teaching myself some advanced pilates tricks with the latex band (to share with my class). Think Elmer Fudd meets Cirque de Soleil.
But in between the teaching, grading, recipe testing, and a trip to the park with the Nickster, I was scheming about dinner. Once I settled on an easy option, I decided it was post-worthy (I’ll let you be he final judges; feel free to hit the gong). Moreover, my pledge for a month of dinner posts is almost up, so I need to hop to it and squeeze in a few final offerings.
On tonight’s menu? An easy dish prepared from the pantry (and the basil plant in the backyard—yes, it’s warm enough for basil here in Texas): whole grain fettuccine with sundried tomato pesto and olives. It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
I haven’t always been a fan of whole grain pasta. My first encounter was memorable for all of the wrong reasons. Chewy, grainy, and reminiscent of wet cardboard, it had all the comfort of a soggy sweater on a chilly day.
But that was a decade ago. The manufacturers must have heard the complaints, because they have been toiling away to remedy all of the past problems. Gone is the
gumminess and graininess. Rather, this new generation of whole grain pastas have a far finer texture along with a nutty, wholesome flavor that adds, rather than detracts, from my favorite sauces.
And it’s hard to argue with the added nutrition: whole grain pasta has 25% more protein, three times the fiber, and fewer calories than white pasta. And according to nutritionists such as Ellie
Krieger (of Food Network fame), whole grain pasta will keep you feeling fuller longer than regular pasta.
I have a few tips to make the conversion even easier to swallow:
Ø Begin by substituting one-quarter of whole-grain pasta mixed in with regular pasta. Work your way up to a higher percentage each time you serve pasta. Soon you will be accustomed to the new look, feel and taste.
Ø Look for products that are high in fiber. Some brands boast as much as three times more fiber than their regular-pasta counterparts.
Ø Look for fresh, refrigerated whole-grain pasta, too. Its texture tends to be softer than dried pasta. Follow the package directions carefully to avoid over- or
under-cooking.
Ø If your regular supermarket
doesn’t carry whole-grain pasta, bug your grocery manager to order it. Be sweet, but assertive.
Ø Use assertively flavored sauces when first converting to whole-grain pasta.
Whole Grain Fettucine with Sundried Tomato Pesto & Olives8 ounces whole grain fettuccine or linguine (
Barilla is my favorite)
3/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
3/4 cup packed basil leaves, divided use
2 tablespoons walnuts
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra shavings for garnish)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup pitted
Kalamata olives, quartered
Cook pasta according to the package directions in a large pot of boiling salted water. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then drain in colander. Return pasta to pan.
While pasta cooks, place tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the basil, walnuts, Parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and process until blended. Add to pasta along with olives. Roughly chop remaining 1/2 cup basil and add to pasta. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese shavings, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition per Serving (1/4 of pasta):
Calories 301; Fat 9.9g (sat 3.3g, mono 3.9g, poly 1.6g); Protein 12.3g; Cholesterol 52mg; Carbohydrate 42g; Sodium 570mg.
(Note: I did the nutrition analysis using
Diet Analysis Plus 7.0.1)
Hi everyone.
It’s been a wild and wacky day, so my original posting plans were obliterated by a slew of tiny errands and must-dos. In particular, I spent too much time teaching myself some advanced pilates tricks with the latex band (to share with my class). Think Elmer Fudd meets Cirque de Soleil.
But in between the teaching, grading, recipe testing, and a trip to the park with the Nickster, I was scheming about dinner. Once I settled on an easy option, I decided it was post-worthy (I’ll let you be he final judges; feel free to hit the gong). Moreover, my pledge for a month of dinner posts is almost up, so I need to hop to it and squeeze in a few final offerings.
On tonight’s menu? An easy dish prepared from the pantry (and the basil plant in the backyard—yes, it’s warm enough for basil here in Texas): whole grain fettuccine with sundried tomato pesto and olives. It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
I haven’t always been a fan of whole grain pasta. My first encounter was memorable for all of the wrong reasons. Chewy, grainy, and reminiscent of wet cardboard, it had all the comfort of a soggy sweater on a chilly day.
But that was a decade ago. The manufacturers must have heard the complaints, because they have been toiling away to remedy all of the past problems. Gone is the gumminess and graininess. Rather, this new generation of whole grain pastas have a far finer texture along with a nutty, wholesome flavor that adds, rather than detracts, from my favorite sauces.
And it’s hard to argue with the added nutrition: whole grain pasta has 25% more protein, three times the fiber, and fewer calories than white pasta. And according to nutritionists such as Ellie Krieger (of Food Network fame), whole grain pasta will keep you feeling fuller longer than regular pasta.
I have a few tips to make the conversion even easier to swallow:
Ø Begin by substituting one-quarter of whole-grain pasta mixed in with regular pasta. Work your way up to a higher percentage each time you serve pasta. Soon you will be accustomed to the new look, feel and taste.
Ø Look for products that are high in fiber. Some brands boast as much as three times more fiber than their regular-pasta counterparts.
Ø Look for fresh, refrigerated whole-grain pasta, too. Its texture tends to be softer than dried pasta. Follow the package directions carefully to avoid over- or under-cooking.
Ø If your regular supermarket doesn’t carry whole-grain pasta, bug your grocery manager to order it. Be sweet, but assertive.
Ø Use assertively flavored sauces when first converting to whole-grain pasta.
Whole Grain Fettucine with Sundried Tomato Pesto & Olives
8 ounces whole grain fettuccine or linguine (Barilla is my favorite)
3/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
3/4 cup packed basil leaves, divided use
2 tablespoons walnuts
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra shavings for garnish)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
Cook pasta according to the package directions in a large pot of boiling salted water. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then drain in colander. Return pasta to pan.
While pasta cooks, place tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the basil, walnuts, Parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and process until blended. Add to pasta along with olives. Roughly chop remaining 1/2 cup basil and add to pasta. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese shavings, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition per Serving (1/4 of pasta):
Calories 301; Fat 9.9g (sat 3.3g, mono 3.9g, poly 1.6g); Protein 12.3g; Cholesterol 52mg; Carbohydrate 42g; Sodium 570mg.
(Note: I did the nutrition analysis using Diet Analysis Plus 7.0.1)