Broken Lasagna with Pesto and Spring Vegetables

If you looked into our pantry, you might assume someone in the household has a bit of an obsession with pasta. Currently, we have no less than 7 different types of pasta ranging from basic whole wheat penne to brown rice noodles to tiger paw shaped, just waiting for football season. 

We eat pasta at least once a week.  Part of my pasta obsession stems from my many happy childhood memories of eating it - spaghetti with butter and parmesan during my picky eating phase...my grandma's macaroni and cheese with a super crispy crust...cooking my first meal of spaghetti and meatballs.  My passion for pasta comes from a practical standpoint too.  It is simple to create delicious pasta dinner in less than 30 minutes.  And there are so many healthy recipes, it's impossible to get bored.

Hopefully, you haven't been needlessly avoiding pasta with an Atkins style mentality.  There are many healthy pasta options.  Unfortunately, there are also many healthy imposters.  

Choose these
100% Whole Wheat or 100% Whole Grain
The easiest to find and least expensive whole grain option.  Whole grain pasta has a nutty flavor that works well in most pasta dishes, especially with rich tomato sauces, beans and pesto. 

Quinoa pasta
I think this is the best tasting gluten free option.  It tastes pretty similar to whole wheat pasta, but has a nuttier flavor and more texture.  Just like quinoa grain, the pasta is high in protein and healthy fats.

Brown rice noodles
Rice noodles are commonly used in Asian cuisine.  Brown rice noodles taste exactly the same as white rice noodles.  I often serve stir fries on a bed of brown rice noodles tossed with sesame oil, sesame seeds and scallions or made a noodle salad.  I prefer the texture of brown rice noodles sold in the Asian foods section.  For some reason the brown rice (and white rice) pastas sold in the gluten-free aisle have a grainy texture.

Spelt pasta
Because spelt flour tastes so similar to white flour, this is a great alternative for those who don't like the taste of whole wheat pasta.  Make sure it is made with a whole grain spelt flour.  Otherwise, it's no better than regular white pasta.

Soba Noodles
Another good choice for Asian dishes.  Look for soba noodles that say 100% whole grain or made with only buckwheat flour.  Buckwheat flour has a very earthy flavor, similar to rye.  I love it's flavor, but it definitely does not taste like regular pasta.  Soba noodles are chewy and thicker.  Try them in a soup or one of Scott's favorite dishes, soba noodles topped with grilled tofu and a spicy chili sauce.

Avoid these:
White Pasta
Certainly, it's worth a splurge every once and awhile, especially if it's homemade fresh pasta.  Otherwise, avoid it.  The semolina or enriched white flour used to make this pasta may not taste sweet, but it effects your blood sugar almost the same way as table sugar.

Enriched/Refined Gluten-Free Pastas
Although gluten-free is the new health food tagline, most gluten free pastas are made with refined grains, usually white rice flour, which is no better than enriched wheat flour.  If you're not sure if it is a whole grain, check the ingredients list. 

Vegetable Flavored Pastas
It has spinach in it, so it has to be healthy, right??  Unfortunately, vegetable flavored pastas have very little vegetable in them.  The color comes from a bit of dried vegetable powder thats added to white flour.  Sorry guys, but not the same thing as eating an actual vegetable.

"Healthy" "Fiber Plus" or "Whole Wheat" Pasta
These are tricky ones.  They may look like a healthy choice, but more often than not, they're simply enriched flour fortified with fiber or a blend of white and whole wheat flour. Read the ingredients list to get a better idea of what type of flour is used. 

Broken Lasagna

Serves 6

Adapted from Food and Wine magazine

 

Pesto:

1/3-1/2 cup your favorite pesto, jarred or homemade
1-lb 100% whole grain lasagna noodles, broken into 1 inch pieces
1 bunch of arugula, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms of choice, sliced
4 small/medium radishes, cut in half and sliced
Parmesan cheese

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil on medium-high heat.  Cook lasagna noodles according to directions until al dente.  Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet on medium heat.  Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.  Add the mushrooms. Saute until they give off their liquid, about 5 minutes.  Continue cooking until the pan is dry, another 5 minutes. 

Toss the broken lasagna with the pesto, sauteed mushrooms, radish and arugula.  Season with black pepper. Serve with plenty of parmesan cheese.