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.
Once serving of Buitoni 100% Whole Wheat Three Cheese Tortellini is 1 cup and there are 2.5 servings per container. Each serving provides 340 calories, 11 grams fat and 3.5 grams saturated fat - both of which are 17% and 18% of the recommended daily amount. There is also 22% of the RDA for cholesterol (65 mg), 20% of the RDA for sodium (480 mg), 16 grams of protein and 44 grams of total carbohydrates, which includes 32% of the RDA for fiber (8 grams) and 3 grams of sugar.
The main ingredients are whole wheat durum flour and the cheeses, with some miscellaneous things such as eggs, canola oil, wheat gluten, and natural flavor. The cheeses are the reason for all the fat - and I'm telling you - if you're on a diet, this is probably not the best way to go. If you're maintaining your weight and looking for a healthier alternative to regular pasta, then try this - but don't have more than the recommended serving size. I loved the taste of this, but the nutrition facts mean that I won't indulge in this very often.