About Me

Note from Maria: I am a Registered Dietitian with a Master of Public Health Degree in Nutrition from UNC at Chapel Hill. I have a passion for helping people with nutrition & wellness, especially moms. Women & moms provide care for everyone else often at the expense of considering their own needs. I hope to provide good resources to you to help you make nutrition and wellness a priority.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Yes, you can eat pasta!

I am Italian, so I love pasta, actually I love food in general. Here are some tips to help you enjoy pasta without feeling guilty....

  • A serving of cooked pasta is 1/3 of a cup. Try measuring this out. You are likely to laugh when you see how small that serving is when compared to what most people normally eat. You can have 2 or 3 servings at one meal, just skip the bread, dessert and other carbs at that meal. 
  • Try whole grain pasta. Once you cover it with delicious sauce, you really can't tell the difference. Overcook it by a minute or two if you find that it is too tough for you. 
  • If you really enjoy eating a large dish of pasta, try adding steamed veggies to your dish. For example, mix 2/3 to 1 cup whole wheat pasta and a cup of steamed of veggies (such as any of these: zucchini, spinach, asparagus, onion, squash, eggplant, etc.), add your favorite tomato sauce and a dash of cheese (Parmesan, Romano or feta). This is a great way to get your veggies in and it will also make you feel like you are eating more pasta than you actually are consuming. You have your whole meal in whole yummy bowl!
  • Choose red sauces with made without meat or made with lean beef or lean sausage. You could also add white beans for protein if you don't want meat. 
  • In general skip the white sauces, unless you are sure they are low-fat. Generally the white sauces are loaded with saturated fat. 
Hope this gives you some ideas...enjoy!! 

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