can a pasta meal be made healthy?

[TeensyTiff]

If there is such thing as a healthy pasta meal, please share the recipe. I love pasta, especially long noodles, but I can't imagine spaghetti and meatballs or fettuccini alfredo is a complete nutrition kind of meal.

[Bonnie]

Sure can! make your own sauce or use an olive oil-based sauce you make yourself. This will help you avoid a lot of extra salt, sugar, preservatives and so on. Choose whole grain pasta or whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta for more fiber and nutrients. Add lots of veggies! Zucchini, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and many other veggies are a fantastic complement and pack the dish with nutrition. If you add a protein, go for a portion about the size of a deck of cards per person, and choose the best quality you can manage.

[KenTraver]

Sure you can. The key is to pile on the veggies so that it's not primarily noodles and a few scattered vegetables. Make it about 50/50.

[TammyBear]

pile on the vegetables and lean protein and you'll definitely have a healthy meal!

[Bean]

pasta is healthy. In a lot of ways, it's healthier than rice, if you have a choice between the two. It has more calories and carbs per cup than rice, which is why many people choose rice when they can. However, it contains more fiber and protein, as well as a bunch of minerals. It's best not to eat too much of it, and definitely choose enriched or whole wheat or whole grain if you can, but even white pasta isn't empty of nutrition.