Healthy Pasta Recipes - 3 Quick To Cook Tasty Meals With Asparagus, Clams, Green Beans & More

Is pasta good for you? There are two answers to this question "Yes" and "No.". Like with most foods pasta is no different. So long as the pasta is the best type, cooked right and that no bad foods are eaten with it, then yes it's good.

Things to watch that can ruin a good food being healthy for you.

If food is over cooked losing all its goodness then that food if you like becomes useless. Then there's the matter of pretty foods. Don't fall into the trap that just because something looks nice means it's good for you. Most fancy dressings and toppings are unhealthy and fattening, and something the dieter needs to avoid.

For those watching their weight, although the way a particular food is cooked plays a large role in keeping the goodness there, a lot depends on eating the right food for it to be classed as healthy and not fattening.

If you want to change your diet and eat more healthily, then bear in mind that no matter how much something is promoted as good for you, that is not a guarantee that it is. Too much of a good food can cause considerable harm especially when it's eaten with bad foods.

Pasta

If you ask someone where pasta comes from the likely response is Italy, while this is easily understood with the Italians eating a lot of it, however, according to Greek mythology it gives credit to the Greek God Vulcan for inventing a gadget that made the first spaghetti from strips of dough. But then other study traces pasta's roots back to the Etruscans in 400 BC, where the first Lasagna was thought to be made out of whole grain spelt flour.

Who cares where it came from, the important thing is we have it now, so let us get on and enjoy it.

Is Pasta Healthy Food?

The unhealthy side of pasta would include that it is made with white flour, and swimming in a thick creamy sauce. Whole grain al dente pasta with an unsweetened tomato sauce is by far the healthier option. Whole grain al dente pasta is fabulously high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. It is gradually absorbed into the bloodstream and not listed to cause a blood sugar spike.

The benefits of the nutrition, gradual absorption and fiber content helps protect against insulin resistance, constipation, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Pasta is quick and simple to cook but has a lot of carbs, so keep portion size sensible and add more lean protein and vegetables to the dish.

Treat your body to the healthy benefits and try the quick to make tasty pasta meals below.

Healthy recipes

Farfalle with Zucchini and Parsley-Almond Pesto

Ingredients

1lb farfalle

1 garlic clove

1/3 cup unsalted roasted almonds

1 1/2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1lb zucchini (2 medium), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick

Crushed red pepper

Cooking instructions

Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil. Add farfalle and cook until it is al dente. Drain the farfalle. In a food blender, pulse the garlic. Add the almonds and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Add the parsley and 1/2 cup of the olive oil and process until the parsley is finely minced. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pulse just until the pesto is combined. Add salt and pepper and scrape the pesto into a large, shallow serving dish. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the zucchini and cook over a high heat until soft and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the zucchini to the bowl with the pesto. Add the farfalle, toss well and serve.

Penne with Asparagus, Sage and Peas

Ingredients

1/2lb penne

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1lb thick asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 cups chicken stock

10 ounces shelled English peas or frozen baby peas, thawed

1/4 cup thick cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Salt and pepper

Cooking instructions

Add the penne to a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and asparagus and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add stock and boil over high heat until reduced by half and the asparagus are soft. Add peas and cream to skillet and boil over high heat until the sauce has thickened, 3 minutes. Stir in the penne and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and add the butter, sage and the 1/2 cup of cheese. Salt and pepper to preferred taste. Put pasta in to serving bowls and dish up right away.

Spaghetti with Clams and Green Beans

Ingredients

10 ounces green beans

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 large plum tomatoes (1/2 pound), coarsely chopped

Kosher salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

24 littleneck clams (2 pounds) washed

10 large basil leaves, torn

3/4 pound spaghetti

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving (optional)

Cooking instructions

Add green beans to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook until soft. Using a slotted spoon, remove beans and leave aside. Bring the water back to a boil. Using a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break, about 5 minutes. Add white wine and clams and bring to a boil. Cover skillet and simmer until the clams open. Remove the skillet from the cooker and add green beans and basil.

Add spaghetti to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, keeping 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Return the spaghetti to the pot and add the clam and green bean sauce and the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss over moderate heat until the sauce coats the spaghetti, about. Transfer the spaghetti and clams to shallow bowls and serve.

More about → Healthy Pasta Recipes - 3 Quick To Cook Tasty Meals With Asparagus, Clams, Green Beans & More

Is Pasta Healthy Or Fattening?

Many people who are trying to lose weight wonder is pasta healthy or fattening? Pasta, like many foods high in carbohydrates, often gets a bad reputation for being fattening; however, this does not have to be true.

Carbohydrates, though recently made out to be villains, are actually necessary to keep your body and mind running smoothly. When carbohydrates are broken down they provide a major source of glucose. Glucose is the primary source of energy for your body and the only source of energy for your brain. Many people who have tried to stick to very low-carb diets have suffered from low energy and bad moods. I know I would be in a bad mood if I never got to eat my favorite pastas!

Consuming too many carbohydrates can be fattening, but pasta itself is not fattening; cooked pasta has only about 200 calories per cup. Where you really get into trouble is with your pasta sauce. Pasta sauces that contain high calorie fatty meats, creams, cheese and other fattening ingredients can really make a pasta dish fattening. Tomato pasta sauces are usually not very fattening at all! Americans also have a tendency to eat too much pasta - portion control is important when controlling calories. Italians traditionally serve pasta as a side dish or as one course of a multi-course meal; not in the large mounds that are so common in the United States.

Along with being fattening, pasta has been criticized for being a simple carbohydrates and lumped into the same category as cake, pastries and white bread. The problem with all of these simple carbohydrates is that they spike your blood sugar resulting in excess insulin being secreted which encourages weight gain and a subsequent energy crash. Simple carbohydrates have a high Glycemic Index (GI) which is a number used to measure how quickly the body's blood sugar level rises after the ingestion of a food. The good news is that Pasta has a GI of 41, which is similar to pears and lower than many types of bread. And one easy way to lower the GI of pasta is to cook it like the Italians - "al dente".

Most pasta today is made from semolina flour obtained from durum wheat. This creates a firm dough which in turn also lowers the GI, while also providing a good source of nutrition. Homemade and dried pasta contain plenty of B vitamins, folic acid and iron. It's low in sodium and, despite a prevalent myth, pasta is not high in cholesterol even though it is usually made with eggs. It was once thought that egg consumption needed to be drastically reduced due to their high cholesterol content, but subsequent research has shown eggs are quite healthy in moderation and greatly contribute to the health benefits of pasta. For those on a strict diet, however, pasta can be made without eggs, while the flour and olive oil content still make this pasta healthy.

Another option is to use dried pasta. This pasta usually does not contain eggs or oil but is made from 100% semolina flour and is quite firm when cooked.  The firmness of this pasta helps lower the GI index to less than bread, potatoes and white rice while still providing vitamin B, fiber and iron. Dried pasta can be stored up to 3 years, but be sure not to store your pasta in glass containers as the sunlight depletes the vitamin B.

Is Pasta healthy in other ways too?

Yes, homemade pasta can be quite healthy. It is not difficult to learn how to make pasta and homemade Pasta can be made even more nutritious with the inclusion of whole wheat flour, spinach, garlic and herbs that add to the vitamin, mineral and fiber content of the pasta. Fiber is another nutrient often lost in modern diets, but fiber is necessary for digestive health, hormonal balance and the prevention of certain types of cancers.

There are many easy pasta recipes which make this nutritious food very convenient for modern busy cooks as well. When trying to eat healthier, you don't have to wonder "is pasta healthy" since there are many ways to prepare pasta that are. So go ahead and enjoy your pasta without guilt, just remember to go easy on the fattening meats and sauces and enjoy your pasta in moderation!

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Healthy Pasta Recipes - 3 Quick To Cook Tasty Meals With Asparagus, Clams, Green Beans & More

Is pasta good for you? There are two answers to this question "Yes" and "No.". Like with most foods pasta is no different. So long as the pasta is the best type, cooked right and that no bad foods are eaten with it, then yes it's good.

Things to watch that can ruin a good food being healthy for you.

If food is over cooked losing all its goodness then that food if you like becomes useless. Then there's the matter of pretty foods. Don't fall into the trap that just because something looks nice means it's good for you. Most fancy dressings and toppings are unhealthy and fattening, and something the dieter needs to avoid.

For those watching their weight, although the way a particular food is cooked plays a large role in keeping the goodness there, a lot depends on eating the right food for it to be classed as healthy and not fattening.

If you want to change your diet and eat more healthily, then bear in mind that no matter how much something is promoted as good for you, that is not a guarantee that it is. Too much of a good food can cause considerable harm especially when it's eaten with bad foods.

Pasta

If you ask someone where pasta comes from the likely response is Italy, while this is easily understood with the Italians eating a lot of it, however, according to Greek mythology it gives credit to the Greek God Vulcan for inventing a gadget that made the first spaghetti from strips of dough. But then other study traces pasta's roots back to the Etruscans in 400 BC, where the first Lasagna was thought to be made out of whole grain spelt flour.

Who cares where it came from, the important thing is we have it now, so let us get on and enjoy it.

Is Pasta Healthy Food?

The unhealthy side of pasta would include that it is made with white flour, and swimming in a thick creamy sauce. Whole grain al dente pasta with an unsweetened tomato sauce is by far the healthier option. Whole grain al dente pasta is fabulously high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. It is gradually absorbed into the bloodstream and not listed to cause a blood sugar spike.

The benefits of the nutrition, gradual absorption and fiber content helps protect against insulin resistance, constipation, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Pasta is quick and simple to cook but has a lot of carbs, so keep portion size sensible and add more lean protein and vegetables to the dish.

Treat your body to the healthy benefits and try the quick to make tasty pasta meals below.

Healthy recipes

Farfalle with Zucchini and Parsley-Almond Pesto

Ingredients
1lb farfalle

1 garlic clove

1/3 cup unsalted roasted almonds

1 1/2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1lb zucchini (2 medium), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick

Crushed red pepper

Cooking instructions

Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil. Add farfalle and cook until it is al dente. Drain the farfalle. In a food blender, pulse the garlic. Add the almonds and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Add the parsley and 1/2 cup of the olive oil and process until the parsley is finely minced. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pulse just until the pesto is combined. Add salt and pepper and scrape the pesto into a large, shallow serving dish. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the zucchini and cook over a high heat until soft and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the zucchini to the bowl with the pesto. Add the farfalle, toss well and serve.

Penne with Asparagus, Sage and Peas

Ingredients

1/2lb penne

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1lb thick asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 cups chicken stock

10 ounces shelled English peas or frozen baby peas, thawed

1/4 cup thick cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Salt and pepper

Cooking instructions

Add the penne to a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and asparagus and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add stock and boil over high heat until reduced by half and the asparagus are soft. Add peas and cream to skillet and boil over high heat until the sauce has thickened, 3 minutes. Stir in the penne and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and add the butter, sage and the 1/2 cup of cheese. Salt and pepper to preferred taste. Put pasta in to serving bowls and dish up right away.

Spaghetti with Clams and Green Beans

Ingredients

10 ounces green beans

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 large plum tomatoes (1/2 pound), coarsely chopped

Kosher salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

24 littleneck clams (2 pounds) washed

10 large basil leaves, torn

3/4 pound spaghetti

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving (optional)

Cooking instructions

Add green beans to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook until soft. Using a slotted spoon, remove beans and leave aside. Bring the water back to a boil. Using a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break, about 5 minutes. Add white wine and clams and bring to a boil. Cover skillet and simmer until the clams open. Remove the skillet from the cooker and add green beans and basil.

Add spaghetti to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, keeping 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Return the spaghetti to the pot and add the clam and green bean sauce and the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss over moderate heat until the sauce coats the spaghetti, about. Transfer the spaghetti and clams to shallow bowls and serve.

More about → Healthy Pasta Recipes - 3 Quick To Cook Tasty Meals With Asparagus, Clams, Green Beans & More