There are more than 400 varieties of pasta, including healthy options such as whole wheat and whole grain. Some of the more easily available ones are fusilli, spaghetti, vermicelli, fettuccine, macaroni, penne, ravioli and lasagne. With a few innovations you can enjoy pasta and create healthier versions.
Veggie Paradise
Ingredients
1 cup penne pasta, boiled
Half cup, finely grated yellow pumpkin
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
One-and-a-half tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tbsp grated cheese
Half tsp oregano
1-2 tsp oil
5-6 basil leaves, roughly shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Boil pumpkin in 1 cup of water for a few minutes. Drain and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, roast flour for a minute, and slowly add milk, stirring to avoid lumps. Add pumpkin, seasoning, oregano and cheese and cook till sauce thickens. Add boiled pasta and basil. Serve.
Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
100 gm spaghetti pasta
100 gm tomatoes (for preparing tomato sauce)
30 gm zucchini
20 gm red/yellow bell pepper
20 gm cherry tomatoes
10 ml oil
15 gm butter
10 gm black olives
10 gm chopped onion
10 gm garlic, minced
15 gm parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Boil tomatoes. Remove seeds and dice finely. Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add chopped and blanched tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft and desired consistency of sauce is achieved. Season. Boil pasta as per instructions on the packet. Heat butter in a pan and toss pasta and vegetables together. Add seasoning. Plate pasta in a deep dish and pour tomato sauce on top. Garnish as per your liking.
