Results tagged “pasta”

Luigi Vitelli Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti

By: Tanya Patrice | Sep 18, 2009

(Photo Credit: Pingu1963)

I am trying to wean my family off certain not-so-good foods, and unto better ones. That means regular pasta is out and whole wheat pasta is in! That said, I didn't know how they would react to the change - so I didn't tell them. I bought a package of Luigi Vitelli Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti and the next time I made spaghetti, I added it to the little bit of regular pasta that was left. Maybe it was the fact that the two were mixed together, but they didn't notice a difference in taste. I noticed it's a bit more al dente than regular pasta, but other than that, there were no noticeable differences. The next time, I just used whole wheat pasta and the fam noticed the slight color difference as this whole wheat pasta has a light brown color when cooked, but they ate it up (and licked they're lips). As I said, buh-bye old regular pasta, and hello 5 grams of fiber per serving, organic whole wheat pasta.

See more on: Condiments , Organic , pasta

De Cecco Whole Wheat Spaghetti

By: Ellen | Sep 5, 2009

(Photo Credit: phototram)

I tend to steer clear of pasta when I can. It's delicious, but it's so easy for me to overdo it. There are times when all I crave is a nice bowl of spaghetti though, so when I saw De Cecco Whole Wheat Spaghetti on sale for $1.67 at the grocery store, I couldn't help myself.

I didn't know quite what to expect from whole wheat pasta. Would it be a nutritious alternative to regular spaghetti, or would it be an impostor (some sort of "diet junk")? Luckily, De Cecco Whole Wheat Spaghetti is remarkably nutritious: a 2-ounce serving contains 180 calories, 1.5 grams of total fat, no saturated fat or sodium, 8 grams of protein and 35 grams of carbohydrates which includes 7 grams of fiber and 2 grams of sugar. There is also 35% of the recommended daily values for thiamin, 20% for niacin, 15% for riboflavin, and 30% for folate.

See more on: Rice & Pasta , noodles, pasta

Ronzoni Smart Taste Rotini

By: Rae Pellegrino | Aug 13, 2009

(Photo Credit: Gudlyf)

As a runner, it's very important that I consume an adequate amount of carbohydrates in order to train effectively. I've always been disheartened by the small serving size and relatively high calorie content of pasta - but I do love that it's one of the easiest meals to prepare. After checking out the whole grain high fiber pastas that have been hitting the shelves lately, I decided to investigate to see if these would hold me over a bit better than conventional pastas.

I tested out Ronzoni Smart Taste Rotini with marinara sauce and some broccoli to amp it up a bit. The pasta had a nice nutty taste, much like brown rice, and seemed to cook up a bit more al dente than regular white pasta. Even though the 2 ounce serving still seemed somewhat skimpy on my plate, I was still pleasantly full for hours after the meal, which is a good thing!

See more on: Rice & Pasta , pasta

Barilla Whole Grain Rotini

By: Ellen | Aug 13, 2009

(Photo Credit: Qfamily)

The major nutritional difference between Barilla Whole Grain Rotini and regular Barilla Rotini is 4 grams of fiber or 16% of the daily value. The regular only has 2 grams (8% of the daily value), while the whole grain has 6 grams (24% of the DV) - the calories are the same. When I spotted that on the nutrition label, I decided to give Barilla Whole Grain Rotini a try to see if the taste would be just as good.

I made up some pasta salad and all I can say is delicious. I really like the heartier flavor that the whole grains provide - they make for a nutty, satisfying pasta. Plus it held onto sauce very well - and hey, I like the fun squiggly shape of Rotini. If you need some recipe ideas, check out the Barilla website, and check out this interesting article on Perfecting the Healthy Pasta Salad on HealthyEats.com.

See more on: Rice & Pasta , pasta

Hamburger Helper Wholesome Classics Stroganoff

By: Lizabeth | Jan 28, 2009

Hamburger Helper for dinner was a staple of my childhood dinners. The blend of beef, pasta, and mysterious powdered sauce mix never failed to appease my brother and me. Still, the folks over at Betty Crocker, realizing that they might be losing revenue to the new disdain toward white flour products, and have launched a line of Wholesome (Whole Grain) Helpers.

I picked up the Stroganoff flavor, and upon looking at the ingredients, I realized that this contains no mushrooms, which is what makes a stroganoff. Well then, I went out and bought 8 ounces of mushrooms to slice and add to this, realizing full and well that I could be making this from scratch with only slightly more effort.

I sauteed my lean ground beef, mushrooms, and an onion until the meat browned and the vegetables softened. I then added the required milk and water, the whole grain noodles, and that mysterious flavored powder. I simmered it for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and let it sit for 2 mins. The noodles were tender but not mushy, and the sauce had thickened nicely. As for the flavor, I thought that it wasn't too shabby. It was a bit salty, but not overwhelmingly so. The sauce even had a bit of tang, like a real stroganoff should, and overall I enjoyed this walk down memory lane.

See more on: Meaty , Rice & Pasta , pasta

Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles

By: Sarah J | Dec 2, 2008

Browsing health food stores has become quite a hobby of mine. I am always scouring the shelves for some new innovative product. Normally I leave with no such success, returning home with my usual everyday staples. Such was NOT the case on my last adventure. At last! Something I have never heard of before. Let me introduce to you the Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles.

This 4 serving pack is a dieters dream. Each 4 ounce serving is a mere 6 calories. Yes, I repeat - just 6 calories per serving! Made entirely from kelp, there is no fat or protein. There is one gram of carbohydrates, consisting of one gram of fiber. They also supply 15% of your daily calcium needs and are low in sodium.

These so called "noodles" have an almost transparent look to them and are wound together in the package. Once drained, they are ready to eat. No need for cooking or heating, although you could if you wanted to. I tried them plain first. These noodles have a very 'different' texture to them. They are sort of crunchy but also didn't have much taste. Really, no taste at all. So I decided to try them in other recipes. I have added them to soups and stir fry dishes and have been quite satisfied. They tend to take on the flavor of whatever they are cooked with. They may be 'noodles', but don't make a good replacement for real pasta. They are entirely different.

See more on: Low Carb , Natural Foods , Vegetarian , pasta

Buitoni 100% Whole Wheat Three Cheese Tortellini

By: Lizabeth | Oct 3, 2008

In trying to make my diet a bit healthier, I've been opting for whole-grain options over their white counterparts. Whole wheat pasta has been a bit disappointing to me as the texture is just ... different, and it's taken some getting used to. I bought a container of Buitoni's 100% Whole Wheat Three Cheese Tortellini to see if fresh whole wheat pasta was a bit smoother than dried.

I boiled half a packet of these little cheese tortellinis for 8 minutes and then tossed them in some marinara sauce. The addition of a sprinkle of basil managed to convince me that Yes - I can cook because I can BOIL WATER!!! WooHoo! The first bite was just as delicious as any white fresh tortellini that I've ever had. The texture of the pasta is smooth, and it's really hard to tell that it's whole wheat. The filling is a delicious mixture of cheeses, combining Parmesan's nuttiness and Romono's tanginess. The ricotta cheese lends a creamy texture, perfecting this cheese trifecta. Served with a spinach salad, this made for a delicious, hearty dinner. Recipes can be found at Buitoni's website.

See more on: Rice & Pasta , pasta

Annie's Microwavable Mac & Cheese

By: Emily W | Oct 1, 2008

Annie's Microwavable Mac & Cheese lives up to its name by relinquishing a deliciously cheesy macaroni dish. However, there are a few aspects of this Mac & Cheese that just do not deliver. While the product is delightfully cheesy, it is not necessarily creamy. The idea of evenly mixing all of the powdery cheese into the macaroni is virtually impossible, which results in little chunks of powdered cheese dispersed throughout. Furthermore, while the macaroni is good, the saltiness is a bit over the top.

The best part of the nutrition information for Annie's Microwavable Mac & Cheese is the short list of wholesome ingredients including organic wheat macaroni. It's pretty much downhill from there.

See more on: Frozen Meals , pasta

Fiber Gourmet Low Carb Pasta

By: Tanya Patrice | Oct 16, 2007

Fiber Gourmet is the answer to a lot of dieters prayers - low carb pasta! There are five choices of fettuccine: Classic, Tomato, Spinach, Garlic Parsley and even Chocolate. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try the chocolate variety, but I did try the first three. The pastas come in circular rosettes which each weigh a little less than 1 ounce. This is quite helpful when it comes to pertion control because each serving is 2 ounces, which is just a little over 2 rosettes (but we'll just toss in 2 and save a few calories).

The pasta is actually quite delicious (or is it just that I am an excellent cook!) and I don't think anybody would be able to tell that this is a low carb option. The only very slight issue is that if it weren't for the different colors, I didn't detect much difference between the three varieties - they all tasted the same to me.

See more on: Miscellaneous , pasta

Weight Watchers SmartOnes Three Cheese Ziti Marinara

By: Tanya Patrice | Apr 23, 2006

I grabbed a bunch of WeightWatchers meals the last time I went to the supermarket, because they were on sale, 3 for $5.00. The WeightWatchers Three Cheese Ziti Marinara tasted just as if you had made the baked ziti yourself at home, which was pretty good. It was also very cheesey, as it should be since it's 3 cheese ziti. The marinara sauce did not have an overpowering tomato taste, which was great.

The portion was enough for a good lunch, but maybe not for a hearty dinner. There are no vegetables in this meal, so may I suggest you add a small salad.

See more on: Frozen Meals , frozen dinner, pasta

Amy's Kitchen Stuffed Pasta Shells Bowl

By: Tanya Patrice | Aug 17, 2005

It's not often that I've found many pasta products that are really all that good once they've come out of the microwave, and typically avoid them for that reason. Usually they end up either all tough and chewy or mushy. As I've had really good results with Amy's products, I decided to try and overcome my fears and give it a shot, and I was duly rewarded.

After following the easy directions, the pasta came out of the microwave steaming hot and perfectly done. That alone was enough to impress me! The filling, while having some cooler spots, was delicious and perfectly seasoned. And I'm willing to concede that cool spots in the filling could have been due to my second-hand $12 thrift store microwave. Eh, it happens. The sauce was very tasty, both by itself and when eaten with the pasta and cheese. This offering is not something that should be considered for a 'light snack' by any means. This is DINNER.

See more on: Frozen Meals , pasta