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By Root 894 0

but it has lots of organic varieties, so you can eat your fusilli and have a planet, too. I prefer to use whole wheat pasta when I’m working with long, skinny varieties, such as spaghetti and linguine. Oh, and be on the lookout for deceptive packaging. Sometimes pasta labels will say something like, “Wheat pasta” or “Contains whole wheat.” Read the ingredients list and make sure that “whole wheat” is the main ingredient. “Wheat flour” or “semolina wheat flour” doesn’t mean it’s made from actual whole wheat.

BROWN RICE PASTA (GLUTEN-FREE)

Brown rice pasta is my favorite gluten-free option. In fact, I prefer the taste and texture to that of whole wheat pasta. I go brown rice pasta when I’m making dishes that require small shapes, such as macaroni or little shells.

Brown rice pasta can be lower in protein and fiber than the other whole-grain pastas, but it’s full of complex carbohydrates and is completely fat free. If you’re avoiding gluten, then this pasta is certainly a chef’s best friend.

QUINOA PASTA (GLUTEN-FREE)

Quinoa pasta is just what it sounds like—pasta made from ground quinoa. So it has a lot of the same nutritional benefits of quinoa, including essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein.

It’s also got plenty of iron and fiber. The texture is smooth and chewy, pretty close to that of semolina pasta, but it has a more pronounced healthy taste. If that sort of thing bugs you, then try it with a strongly flavored sauce, as in the Tempeh Helper (page 171).

CORN PASTA (GLUTEN-FREE)

I don’t call for corn pasta specifically in any of my recipes, but it’s definitely worth a mention. Corn pasta usually has two very simple ingredients, which is a great sign when you’re aiming to eat a whole-foods diet. And it is very high in fiber, upward of 6 grams per serving, but be sure to read the nutrition label of the brand you use.

SPINACH OR OTHER FLAVORED PASTAS

These are usually white pastas that have powdered vegetables that give them color, but some brands just have color. Be sure to read the nutrient label to make sure that the spinach in your pasta is real spinach. Nutritionally speaking, such blends as spinach or tomato don’t bring too much to the party, but they do look pretty and taste great.

Pasta Primer

Is there anything worse than a clump of pasta, or noodles that are undercooked in some places and overcooked in others? No, not really. Dick Cheney probably cooks his pasta like that, that’s how awful it is. Don’t be like Dick Cheney, cook your pasta properly!

1. First things first, and that first thing is the vehicle you’re going to use to cook. For 8 ounces of dry pasta, I use a 4-quart, heavy-bottomed, stainless-steel pot with a long handle. The long handle really helps for when it comes time to drain. The heavy bottom (I love saying “heavy bottom”) keeps things evenly heated.

2. Fill the pot three-quarters full with water; you want plenty of room for your pasta to float around in to prevent it from sticking together.

3. Salt the water. Like, really salt it, with about a tablespoon of salt. Salt flavors the pasta, keeping it from tasting bland.

4. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil before adding the pasta. This is super important for getting pasta evenly cooked and to keep it from clumping together. Once the pasta is added, bring it back up to a full boil and stir frequently with a pasta spoon to keep it from sticking together.

5. Taste the pasta to see if it’s done. There’s that theory that if you throw it at the wall and it sticks it’s done, and I don’t know how accurate that is. What I do know is that it will make a mess of your wall. Just taste it and save your walls the trouble.

6. If the recipe calls for draining, have a big colander at the ready. But don’t leave the cooked pasta sitting around for too long, or it will stick together.

Fusilli Roasted Veggie Primavera

SERVES 4̇̇·• ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES

(CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE IF USING GF FUSILLI)

PER SERVING

(¼ RECIPE):

Calories: