When I was married to James, some evenings, the joke in our house was, “What kind of pasta is Brenda making tonight?” because I fixed every kind of pasta dish known to man and many I made up. By that time, I was in my mid-forties, and I’d been making homemade pasta since my 20s—tortellini filled with veal, prosciutto and spinach was my specialty—and I was still at the age where I didn’t have to worry about carbs creeping up around my hips and thighs. That all changed when I was 52 and diagnosed with breast cancer, and after eight rounds of chemotherapy, the adjunct chemotherapy pills I took every day for the next five years made me gain weight even if I looked at a plate of pasta. But now, new research says the right kind of pasta can be good for you. That’s good to know, because once again, I’m making and eating pasta.
I bet you’re wondering what Lobster Corn Chowder has to do with pasta… We’ll get to that.
A large, 30-year study by researchers at Tufts University and Harvard, recently published in the JAMA Network Open journal, suggests the quality of the carbohydrate may be an important factor in healthy aging. Healthy carbs slow down the aging process, helps ward off 11 major chronic diseases and preserves physical function and good cognitive and mental health. Healthy, nutritious carbs include whole grains (pasta), fruits, vegetables and legumes versus unhealthy carbs made with sugars, refined grains and white flour or white potatoes.
Ideally, carbs should be combined with protein and healthy fats because together they create a balanced meal that supports stable blood sugar and keeps you feeling full.
One of the balanced carb meals I eat a lot is a healthy pasta with a Bolognese sauce made with organic, lean ground beef, veal, or turkey, and a salad that includes fresh avocados. My favorite storebought pasta these days is traditional, bronze-cut pasta made from semolina (coarse grains) and imported from Italy. I’m obsessed with Central Market’s Organic Vesuvio bronze-cut pasta. Each one of the curlicue, twisted pieces is about two inches long and is perfect for holding a sturdy sauce.
If you’re looking for gluten free pasta, Rummo is a great die-cut brand, made in Italy with rice and corn, and it holds up against even the heaviest of sauces.
Since I’m no longer motivated to spend the time, making my own sauce—I should since my cardiologist has severely limited my sodium consumption, and bottled red sauces are off the chart with the amount of sodium in one-quarter cup—I’ve discovered Cucina Antica’s Sunday Sauce which only contains 135mg sodium per one-half cup serving.
I have to laugh at “I’m no longer motivated to spend the time making my own sauce,” because this afternoon…
I’m taking on the task of making the Barefoot Contessa’s Lobster Corn Chowder for me and a dear friend who’s a foodie and a wine expert, so I hope it turns out well. LOL! Yes! Talk about a task!
The recipe calls for three large, cooked lobsters, cracked and split, two large stock pots, sherry, white wine, whole milk, heavy cream, bacon, etc., etc., etc. I’m sure the sodium content will be more than my allotment for the next week—hopefully my heart doesn’t explode—plus it’s going to be one of those all-day kind of recipes.
Fingers crossed I don’t wind up wishing I’d stayed with a simple pasta dish I know is good for me. Wish me luck!
26 thoughts on “THE RIGHT KIND OF PASTA CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU”
Brenda…I love the Vesuvio pasta for a pasta salad. It really holds up to the wet dressing and the weight of the vegetable and protein add ins. Be well.
Glad to know you’ve discovered Vesuvio pasta as well. Thank you! xoxox, Brenda
It all sounds yummy!! I’ve never made my own pasta but I’m sure there’s no comparison to what you can buy. Have fun tackling the lobster corn chowder…it sounds amazing!!
Hi Tammy! The lobster chowder was sooooo good!!!! xoxox, Brenda
Love your blog! Who else can turn a research study about pasta into something humorous and entertaining? Have a great weekend Brenda Xo, Barb
Thank you, Barb! Hope you’re doing something fun with those you love this weekend. xoxox, Brenda
All I can say is don’t put pasta in the lobster chowder. With all the cream, butter and bacon, it won’t be one of those pastas that good for you. Let us know how it turns out! BTW, I would never attempt this recipe so sincere good luck!
LOL! Love your comment, Arlo. The lobster chowder was much easier than I thought it would be and really good, but then Ina Garten never steers me wrong. Thank you! xoxox, Brenda
So fun! I would never attempt something like that. But that’s who you are!
Hi Regina, Actually it was pretty easy. I had the market do the hard part with cooking the lobsters and taking them out of the shells. The chowder was really good. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend. xoxox, Brenda
My 16-year old granddaughter is a serious foodie and has been making the most delicious pasta for a few years, so her mother and I don’t have to! Enjoy your soup—it sounds amazing!
Hi Diana! How wonderful to have a chef in the house. I love that she started early and with pasta. At her age, I may have made cookies I bought in a roll at the grocery store and then sliced and baked them. I’m super impressed. xoxox, Brenda
We make our bolognaise using mushrooms and walnuts instead of ground beef, still delicious.
Ooohhh… That sounds delicious, Samantha! Wow! You’ve given me pause for thought. I’m going to try that. Thanks! xoxox, Brenda
My husband has to watch his sodium content and most everything in a can or a bottle is loaded with sodium. The Sunday Sauce you found is the lowest I know of. Thanks for telling us.
Happy to share, Betty. I used to look at labels mainly for fat and sugar, so now that I’m also looking at sodium content, I realize salt may be the most harmful culprit of all. Then there’s sodium content in foods you wouldn’t suspect like eggs. Did you know an egg, fresh out of the chicken, has 60 mgs of sodium? Crazy! Let me know if you like the Sunday Sauce. xoxox, Brenda
Hi Brenda,
Your forever friend must be very special for you to take on this labor of love. I’m sure your Barefoot Contessa’s Lobster Corn Chowder will be a big hit. Her recipes are always so good. Some aren’t so healthy, I have made adjustments along the way. As we advance in age and maybe can’t do much exercise anymore your body takes on a different shape, meds do not help either.
Let us know how your meal turns out.
I bet you make the best friend.
Hugs and smiles.
Awe, you’re sweet, Katherine. Yes. He’s the dearest of friends. We’ve known one another since college and both of my husbands loved him as well. Neither one of us should be eating this meal, but we are…. LOL! Just this once! Thank you! xoxox, Brenda
Hello Brenda – Thank you so much for the info. I wish that pasta and sauce was available here. I bought Ria or Rios? at Costco as I read that it was the best sauce but the sodium content is awful.
You are so brave in tackling that recipe. It sounds amazing and delicious! I would never attempt that recipe but I have no doubt that you’ll be successful. Yesterday was my birthday and I had the Seafood Chowder for starters and it was delicious but not as good as yours judging by the ingredients, Let us know how it turned out. You are a true friend.
Yvonne
Happy Belated Birthday, Yvonne!!! I imagine your seafood chowder was healthier than our lobster chowder, because ours had heavy cream and whole milk. I could hear my arteries clogging, just thinking about it. Perhaps I’ll do my next blog about the process. Thanks so much, sweet lady!!! xoxox, Brenda
I’m sure the BAREFOOT CONTESSA’s chowder is FANTASTIC!She has never steered me WRONG!I will keep my mouth shut on the pasta!As I’m gluten free and out of touch with the good stuff!
Xoxo
The chowder was superb, Elizabeth! With that much butter, whole milk, and heavy cream, the texture was like velvet. I hear you about gluten free. Even the brand FUMO isn’t in the same league as homemade or great Italian pasta, and you know both of them. xoxox, B
Hi there
Got a shock recently. Had picked up some pasta at the supermarket – liked the size of it – was going to be making a salad.
well what a shock at 11:00 at night when I was looking for the directions and saw it was a product of Taiwan! Taiwan! who has ever heard of Taiwan producing pasta for Canada! I was ready to take it back to the supermarket but didn’t.
it was actually a very good pasta – durum wheat semolina.
Taiwan? Say what? They’re making everything these days. I’m glad it tasted good, but maybe next time don’t support them and buy another brand. Reminds me of the sheets and pillow cases I bought and returned because they were made in Burma! Hello!!! Burma has long trafficked in forced child labor, and these poor little souls… Their working and living conditions aren’t fit for the rats! When I took them back to the store, the manager didn’t seem to have a problem with this form of modern slavery. Thank you, Rosemarie, for your comment. I always love seeing you here!!! xoxox, Brenda
Hi again
Our federal government has been promoting buy Canadian/buy local since Trump and his tariffs came into play.
It is surprising tho how many things are not made in Canada.
Last year I decided to look at the labels on my clothes as to where they were made – wow there were more than a dozen different countries.
Modern slavery is still going strong!
A dozen! Wow! Modern day slavery: Appaling, isn’t it?