We all love pasta! However, sometimes we can be too scared to eat it because we think it is not healthy enough. Actually, we can make our pasta meal very healthy!
If we serve up a big plate of pasta with sauce and mince only, you’re right, it’s not a healthy meal. Two reasons:
However, if we have pasta with some vegetable or salad it can be very healthy!
If we serve up a big plate of pasta with sauce and mince only, you’re right, it’s not a healthy meal. Two reasons:
- It is not very balanced due to lack of vegetables
- We need lots of pasta and mince to fill us up if without vegetables, so the portion can be an issue
However, if we have pasta with some vegetable or salad it can be very healthy!
This is my summertime go to pasta dish, Mediterranean style pasta salad. Super quick, easy, and makes me feel satisfied.
Ingredients (serves 3):
Methods:
So easy! Feel free to use whatever you love best or have on hand.
Mediterranean diet has been very well study, which could reduce cardiovascular disease risks and has anti-inflammatory effects + pasta is a low GI choice.
So don’t feel guilty when have your pasta dish anymore. Make sure you’re following the serving size recommendations, serve it with some veg or salad, and enjoy!
Ingredients (serves 3):
- 180g (1.5 cup) uncooked pasta shapes
- ½ cup can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 10 black olives, sliced
- ¼ cucumber, chopped
- ½ cup baby rocket
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 40g feta cheese, crumbled
- 15g pine nuts, toasted
- 1tbs olive oil
- 1tbs balsamic vinegar
- Handful basil leaves
- Pepper
Methods:
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the pack. Drain and refresh under cold water
- Toss the pasta together with the remaining ingredients and serve
So easy! Feel free to use whatever you love best or have on hand.
Mediterranean diet has been very well study, which could reduce cardiovascular disease risks and has anti-inflammatory effects + pasta is a low GI choice.
So don’t feel guilty when have your pasta dish anymore. Make sure you’re following the serving size recommendations, serve it with some veg or salad, and enjoy!
Image and recipe adapted from Diabetes UK
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/recipes/mediterranean-pasta-salad
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/recipes/mediterranean-pasta-salad
Grace (Daiqing) Yu - Dietitian and Nutritionist
Grace graduated from Flinders University with a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics. She has a strong passion for food and cooking and is well-exposed to both Asian and Western cultures and cuisine. Grace believes everyone should enjoy food while also staying healthy and feeling good! She provides a nutrition assessment and can tailor an individualised meal plan to develop sustainable healthy eating habits that fit into your lifestyle.
More info can be found here
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