Bring Back Pasta Night!
If you are anything like me, spaghetti and meatballs is a huge comfort food of mine. It is also an easy dinner to feed a larger number of people with little to no preparation. As I started to do more research, I discovered there are SO many alternatives to regular angel hair pasta. So, whether you are looking for a lower calorie/lower carb option, a high protein option, a way to sneak in some veggies, or a little versatility in your life, I am going to list my top 3 favorite choices for not-pasta pasta night!
1. "Zoodles" or Zucchini Noodles (Pre-made)
There are two options when it comes zucchini noodles. The first ones I'm suggesting are the frozen package of zoodles from Trader Joe's. These are great to keep in the freezer as a way to quickly throw together dinner. They are also a great option if you do not have a spiralizer. The best part about this method is you just throw the frozen chunk of noodles (yes, it comes out a chunk of noodles) into a skillet and cover for 7 minutes. That is it.
One thing to note is that one package serves ~2 people so plan accordingly.
2. "Zoodles" or Zucchini Noodles (DIY)
The second option for zucchini noodles is to make your own with a hand-held spiralizer. I purchased mine from OXO on Amazon for ~$15. I put the link at the end of this post. It is very user-friendly and simple to use. You just wash the zucchini then cut off one end. With the end you cut, on the circular part of the spiralizer, you simply spin the zucchini until you are at the other end. The benefit to this method is the quantity. You get SO many zoodles from one zucchini.
With these, I throw the zoodles into a skillet with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. I sauté them until they feel a little crunchy which ends up being about ~5-7 minutes. The texture is a lot of personal preference, so do not be afraid to taste test during the cook time.
2. Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti Squash is one of new favorite dinners. One spaghetti squash will make around ~4 large servings of noodles. The way to do these is to preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut your spaghetti squash in half (the hardest part). Inside, it will look like a pumpkin with seeds, so scoop out the seeds and "gunk" in the middle. Then, I would use a fork to scratch the surface of the squash to expose some of the layers below the surface. I drizzle mine with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. After seasoning, place both halves of the squash, place it face down on a cookie sheet, and throw them in the oven.
This process usually takes ~40 minutes to an hour, so check on your squash as you get closer to the 40 minute mark. You are looking for the squash to be soft. Once the squash is done, flip the halves over and get a bowl ready. This step requires some elbow grease. You will take a fork and start scraping the squash into a bowl. The scraping motion turns the squash into noodle-thin pieces as shown in the picture below. The longer you scrape, the more noodles you will get. For all my detail-oriented people out there, I love this part. I scrape until only the skin is left; I will not leave even a scrap of squash!
After you feel content with the amount of noodles, these guys are ready to eat. Simply add your favorite pasta sauce on top and enjoy.
3. Protein Pasta
While there are several options in this category, I wanted to talk about them as a whole. The options include black bean pasta, chickpea pasta, edamame pasta, and even lentil pasta. The benefit to all of these are the higher protein content compared to standard pasta noodles. With chickpea options, the protein is about doubled. For black bean options, the protein is quadrupled! This is why these protein packed options are popular among vegetarian and vegan eaters.
The thing to note is the calorie content is not significantly different with these options - usually just 10 - 20 calories difference per serving. Unfortunately, the serving size does not increase either. However, these options do have that extra protein which helps to fill you up!
My favorite way to eat of all of these is to cook some ground turkey, throw on my favorite pasta sauce with no extra sugar (Garlic Marinara from Trader Joe's), and pour the mixture on top of the noodles, zoodles, or spaghetti squash. There are so many options out there, but these are just my three favorites. I am always looking to try to ways to sneak Italian night in. As I continue to test them, I will continue to share. Now, go enjoy some "homemade" pasta!
Hand-Held Spiralizer:
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