Healthy Pasta is Achievable

Despite my love for dessert of all kinds, I a very healthy eater. And contrary to popular belief, carbs are not the devil. I’m a firm believer that everything is about portion control and moderation. That being said, pasta is far from out of the question. It’s actually the perfect meal to cook for one, and for one on a budget.

And for all you health nuts that say, “Use whole wheat pasta, it’s better for you because it’s ‘whole wheat’ and has more fiber,” this is what I have to say, “Whole wheat pasta tastes like cardboard.” Sorry, this is a blog, and that is my opinion. But unless it’s dressed in a completely decadent sauce, I’d much rather have a smaller portion of real pasta than use whole wheat. Sorry.

Inspired by a segment on the Today Show this morning with Mario Batali and the unseasonably spring weather, I was hankering for Pasta Primavera, literally “spring pasta.”

So what’s a girl to do with no money and nada in her apartment? Get creative! And that’s exactly what I did. What did I have? Angel hair pasta, artichokes hearts, thin asparagus, frozen peas, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a strip of bacon.

The secret is this, use some of the pasta water to make the sauce. The starch in the pasta water combined with the cheese and olive oil creates a textured sauce fit for a light pasta dish. The trick with having your pasta, and eating it too, is simply loading up the vegetables to make the dish appear bigger. There is no doubt that too much of a good thing is a bad thing, but pasta CAN and IS healthy by adding the right ingredients and dressing it correctly.

Oh, and then afterwards for dessert I went out and got ice cream … so much for being completely healthy …

Happy Spring!