Pasta

We love pasta; the hubby is Italian after all. We eat it at least twice a week. For years, we bought whatever kind of pasta was on sale. Then when whole wheat pasta started to gain popularity, we wanted to give it a shot. It was not our favorite. After a few tries, we found the best whole wheat pasta was the specialty brands and definitely not store brands or bargain brands. We would occasionally pick up a box of whole wheat pasta but continued to use traditional pasta regularly.

When Barilla introduced their Plus pasta, I think around 2005, it was the answer to my underdeveloped taste for whole wheat pasta. Barilla Plus tastes great, less harsh than whole wheat and made up of good things. It was a seamless transition from traditional pasta for both my husband and I and it's the pasta Gavin started with.

Uncertain of the time line, to my delight (with a touch of confusion), Barilla Whole Grain showed up on the shelves - right next to Plus. Okay, what's the better choice now? Time to compare.

Barilla Plus ingredients: Semolina, grain and legume flour blend, [grains and legumes (lentils, chickpeas, flaxseed, spelt, barley, oats), egg whites, oat fiber], durum flour, niacin, iron (ferrous sulfate), thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid.

Barilla Whole Grain ingredients: Whole durum wheat flour, semolina, durum wheat flour, oat fiber.

Plus is made with added vitamins, grains and legumes resulting in a multi-grain pasta high in protein and high in fiber with Omega-3 Fatty Acids. The Whole Grain pasta has a straightforward ingredient list which includes whole durum wheat flour resulting in a pasta higher in fiber than Plus with the added benefits of whole grain* and a good source of protein. But keep in mind the whole grain version is still only 50% whole grain not 100%.

As for taste, I/we like both. Plus is less "grainy" but that's not to say Whole Grain is too "grainy" if you know what I mean. They're both pleasant in hot dishes and cold dishes. Upon serving Whole Grain in place of Plus to my three year old, he didn't even bat an eye. Pretty impressive. Both pastas provide better nutrition than traditional pasta. Whether you choose Plus or Whole Grain, you can't go wrong. Or if you have a hard time choosing, like I often do, do what I do and buy both.

As for price, I've found the Whole Grain to be less than Plus. Both are commonly on sale and that's when I stock up. Whole Grain is $1.32 a box and Plus is $1.84 - $2.19, depending on pasta shape (sale prices). I believe the regular price is around $2 - $2.49.

Switching to a multi-grain or an almost whole grain pasta is simple, affordable and healthy. It will deliver extra nutrition and not drastically change the taste of your pasta dishes. My Italian husband and picky three year old both give it a thumbs up, and that's saying something!

*A whole grain is the plant's entire kernel: the protective fiber-rich bran coating, the starchy endosperm, and the nutrient-rich germ. The bran and germ appear to be largely responsible for whole grains' health benefits

Recipe: Shrimp and arugula pasta

We have lots of cookbooks. Hubby has his favorites and I have mine. One that we both equally enjoy is Giada's Family Dinners. Here's my take on one of our favorite recipes from the book:

Shrimp and arugula pasta

1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Shallots, finely chopped
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon Crushed dried red pepper flakes
1 cup Dry white wine
1 pound Shrimp, large
Salt
1 box Rotini, whole wheat or whole grain
3 cups Arugula
Black pepper

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.Add the shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes; saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the wine. Simmer until the wine reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook just until pink, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rotini, stirring often. Cook per package directions. Add the rotini and arugula to the skillet with the shrimp. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes four main-course servings.

My son isn't big on shrimp yet but it's a nice change from our weekly pasta marinara. Oh and I use frozen shrimp and it comes out just fine. I simply run the shrimp under a stream of water for a few minutes to thaw.

Convenience foods

Part of the medium food life is some convenience foods. Although my goal is to reduce as many of the "boxes" as possible, I do need to have some in the cabinet. My approach is to buy items with an acceptable ingredient list, good nutritional value, responsible packaging and reasonable price. I also research the companies. I feel better knowing more than just their name. As with most healthier options, they're typically more expensive so I make a point to buy when they're on sale.

Items like cereal bars, brown rice treats and crackers I buy at Trader Joe's. The ingredients are decent and the price is almost always less than anywhere else. If you're familiar with Trader Joe's they don't have sales as most grocery stores do but they do take coupons on the few products they sell that aren't private label such as Kashi or Earth's Path. I've also recently started to buy tortillas, another item I want to make from scratch eventually, at TJ's. Can't beat $1.69 for 10 tortillas.

I'm also known to have a few frozen meals on hand as well as a back up jar of pasta sauce. Although I enjoy my husband's homemade marinara so much more than what comes in a jar, some nights it comes down to lack of time, energy and planning. Just part of the medium food life, I suppose! Here are some convenience items you may spot in my freezer or cabinet:

Amy's Frozen Whole Meals
Ice cream
Whole grain cheese pizza or flatbread
Frozen Organic Brown Rice
Boxed Mac and Cheese
Pasta Sauce
Canned beans
Quick cooking rice
Snack items like Annie's crackers, grahams and bunny fruit snacks

It's super nice to have these kind of items on hand but the more I put in my shopping cart, the higher my bill is. I plan to do cost comparisons on convenience versions vs. from scratch versions and post my findings. Should be fun and educational.