Healthy Pasta Alternatives

Original Image by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr

By: Nikki Nies

Love the taste of pasta, yet struggle to eat a balanced diet?  Switch up your meals with healthier pasta options and pair with your favorite vegetables and seasonings.Whether you’re trying to limit your refined carbohydrates and/or increase  whole grains and vegetable intake, by making some small changes, you can still enjoy some great tasting dishes!

Healthy Pasta Alternatives

• Spaghetti Squash
• Zucchini
• Black bean spaghetti
• Broccoli Slaw
• Shredded cabbage
• Soybean pasta
• Sprouted wheatgrass
• Farro pasta
• Brown Rice
• Quinoa
• Soba Noodles
• Shirataki Noodles

Cauliflower Alfredo Pasta Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves:8Ingredients: 3 small heads cauliflower 6 cups vegetable broth 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon salt Pinch nutmeg 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ c. heavy cream 1 cup boiling water Chop cauliflower. Bring vegetable broth to a boil over medium-high heat and add cauliflower.  Cook until cauliflower is soft, ~15 minutes. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute 4-5 minutes or until soft. Transfer cauliflower to a blender with about 2 cups of broth. Add sautéed garlic, salt, nutmeg and black pepper and puree until smooth .Stream olive oil into blender and add more broth or water if too thick. When smooth, transfer back to butter/garlic skillet and add cream over low heat

Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Make It Yours: Cauliflower is an underutilized food in the kitchen, yet you should always have it on hand! Besides using as a healthy pasta alternative, use cauliflower to make pizza crust, cauliflower mash, replace chicken, cauliflower rice burrito bowl, cauliflower mac and cheese, cauliflower tots, cauliflower breads rolls, cauliflower calzones and/or baked breaded cauliflower “mozzarella” sticks.

Health Benefits of cauliflower:

Original Image by dollen via Flickr

• Rich in fiber, which helps stay full longer and eases digestion
• Folate rich to form red blood cells
• Rich in vitamin C, which protects the immune system during cold and flu season
• Rich in vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting
• Full of potassium, which helps regulated blood pressure
• Good source of manganese, which helps nerves function properly
• Increases HDL cholesterol—“good” cholesterol à reduces risk of stroke
• Has anti carcinogenic effects—antioxidant rich
• Helps unborn babies develop properly
• Low calorie
• Fat free
• Vegetarian source of omega 3 fatty acids
• Improves healthy cell growth
• Assists with kidney and bladder disorders
• Blood and liver detoxifier

Customizing Pasta Alternatives: Now that you’ve ventured out and tried non grain pasta, don’t stop there! Add more color, flavor and nutrients to your meal with the addition of your favorite vegetables and seasonings: asparagus, broccoli or broccoli rabe, spinach, arugula, mushrooms, limes, carrots, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, corn, artichokes, pesto, garlic and/or onions.

What’re your favorite pasta add ins? Suggestions for how to make regular dishes more exciting?