I recently read a NY Times article entitled Serving Pasta? Forget What You Learned. I love seeing pieces like this in the media for a few reasons: First, it gives me ammunition when my spouse complains about the fact that he can't find enough pasta in my pasta dishes (I do tend to tip the scales in favor of the veggies and lean proteins!) But more importantly, I like to see this sort of article because I'm always thrilled to see mainstream press supporting a healthier perspective on eating. The average restaurant pasta meals usually offers several times the recommended serving of pasta/grains, with a paltry representation of vegetables and protein. This leads to the inevitable result that the eater leaves the table full of lots of empty starch calories, only to be hungry again a short while later...not to mention the heavy sauces that can often accompany these dishes (or the fact that almost 100% of the time those pasta are refined grains -- a whole additional topic!) [And don't get me started on the obesity epidemic fueled by eating patterns like this!]
Give this approach a try -- it's easy. A few things to keep in mind:
- A good target for an adult pasta portion is two "servings" (about 2 ounces) of pasta -- which equates to about 1 cup cooked pasta, or dry spaghetti or linguini that when "bunched" is about the width of a quarter.
- Add double or more of veggies -- at least 2 cups cooked -- remember that many vegetables "cook down" so this can mean 3-4 or more cups raw (even more if you are cooking veggies with lots of water content such as mushrooms or spinach).
- If including meat, try to keep it lean and remember that an adult portion should be about 3 ounces.
- Lean towards sauces that are broth or tomato-based if possible.
- If going vegetarian, think about adding nuts and beans for flavor and staying power.
- Add extras for flavor such as fresh herbs and small amounts of high-flavor cheese like parmesan reggiano, goat cheese, sheep's feta.
- And give those whole-wheat pastas a try too!
The result will be a nice-sized dinner plate which will both satisfy your appetite and your body's nutrient needs. Try this Wild Mushroom & Baby Swiss Chard Pasta recipe to get a delicious veggie fix that won't leave you looking for more pasta.
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