Speaking of pasta, beyond the shape...

[Jenise]

...there's what it's made out of. Carrie mentions a multi grain pasta in Robin's thread that she says is "not half bad".

I have to admit, I haven't had a whole wheat pasta I've liked yet. I do have a box of Ronzoni whole wheat rotini which I bought to try after seeing it perform well in the Cooks Illustrated taste test. I love whole wheat bread so I think I should like whole wheat pasta, but so far it's not working out like that.

Who's found a whole wheat pasta they can truly love and would prefer to regular pasta?

Oh, and what about that low carb pasta? The one where the carbs were supposed to more or less pass right through. I tried it once and hated the texture--maybe everyone else did to, and the product's off the market. I honestly don't recall seeing it lately, but then I don't even remember it's name except that it was something decidedly un-Italian or un-pasta sounding. And Bob H: did you ever test your blood sugar before and after and compare that to regular pasta to see if it indeed had a drastically reduced effect on your blood sugar?

My experience with whole wheat pasta is the same as yours, Jenise. Ditto with the low carb versions. And, last night, a quick cooking version -- three minutes.

No ... No ... No ...

I find that whole wheat pasta goes quite nicely with bitter greens such as mustard, dandelion, collard, etc. The heartier flavor of the pasta stands up better to the stout greens.

Low carb pasta sucks! And I've never even had it.

rwj

[Robin Garr]

Who's found a whole wheat pasta they can truly love and would prefer to regular pasta?

I just don't see the point in it. Why change something so fundamental? Eat the regular stuff and take a vitamin pill.

[Jenise]

Robert J: yes, that's what Cook's concluded too, and it's not hard to understand. There's a favorite RCP from the old FLDG that I've been planning to make with that whole wheat pasta I own once the fresh winter kale comes in about...well, now! I'll post it separately, called JD's Pasta with Pancetta and Kale. Btw, JD is Stuart's buddy, the famous "Other Stupid".

I like to use Rapini.

rwj

Never had a commercial whole wheat pasta that I liked. Homemade whole wheat or buckwheat pasta is a totally different thing. Speaking of pasta with hearty greens ...pizzochieri - wide flat buckwheat noodles with siwss chard and potatoes is a wonderful dish - coming into season in the cool weather . Commercial, no. Homemade, absolutely yes. Not a matter of vitamins but taste and texture.

Homemade anything is ALWAYS better. But I have had good luck with Bionaturae WW pasta.

rwj

Who's found a whole wheat pasta they can truly love and would prefer to regular pasta?

I just don't see the point in it. Why change something so fundamental? Eat the regular stuff and take a vitamin pill.

I have to agree with Robin whole heartedly. Being a person who has to watch his weight and his sugars, I've found that it is not the fact that I'm eating carbohydrates that is the problem. Its the quantity that is the real issue.

That and (afraid I can not quote the source) some recent reading and research on my part has shown me that pasta and potato are among those carbs that really are NOT as bad for me as I thought. Pasta is not as glycemic as I thought, nor is a potato.

I don't eat them everyday, but I still like to have some pasta or some potato. What I won't do is have both at the same time!!

I am not especially fond of the whole wheat pasta, I prefer the original recipe, thank you very much!!

Since I still find myself without health issues that would require low-carb pasta and since I see little or no reason to try whole wheat, I stick with the regular stuff. If someone I trusted heartily recommended a whole wheat pasta then I'd probably give it a try. Otherwise, I'll go with the "10 million Italians can't be wrong" angle.

...Oh, and what about that low carb pasta? The one where the carbs were supposed to more or less pass right through. I tried it once and hated the texture--maybe everyone else did to, and the product's off the market. I honestly don't recall seeing it lately, but then I don't even remember it's name except that it was something decidedly un-Italian or un-pasta sounding. And Bob H: did you ever test your blood sugar before and after and compare that to regular pasta to see if it indeed had a drastically reduced effect on your blood sugar?

That would be Dreamfields.
I've tried it and found it acceptable for a weekday meal (meaning I wouldn't serve it company). Like BobH, I'm supposed to watching my sugar also, but haven't been doing a very good job.

Oh, and what about that low carb pasta? The one where the carbs were supposed to more or less pass right through. I tried it once and hated the texture--maybe everyone else did to, and the product's off the market. I honestly don't recall seeing it lately, but then I don't even remember it's name except that it was something decidedly un-Italian or un-pasta sounding. And Bob H: did you ever test your blood sugar before and after and compare that to regular pasta to see if it indeed had a drastically reduced effect on your blood sugar?

Jenise, Howie has the name right, and it is not off the market, rather they have increased the shapes that they make. I did not ever try the test to which you refer, since I decided that I really don't want to know. I do eat some regular pasta, and I do eat other starches. This really means that I do not watch my diet as close as I should, but I doubt that I will die within the next 10 years from an overage of sugar in my blood. I take no medicine (for diabetes) and even as loose as I eat, keep my blood sugar in the 140 range. (finger stick) Am due for an A1C test in October, but heretofore I have kept that in the 5.x range which is very good. If it is up in Oct, I will rethink my diet again.

Remember, cinnamon helps keep blood sugar levels level.

Coincidentally, have eaten both Mueller's Whole Grain Penne (last week) and Barilla's Plus Penne (tonight) with pesto. Both were fine. In the broader view, I'm not sure they're a big deal. Regular would be fine too.

Low-carb pasta? Isn't that just a thinner noodle? I mean, really.....

[Jenise]

Remember, cinnamon helps keep blood sugar levels level.

I've read that, but am certain how someone who wanted to go that route administers it. Eat the bark? Swallow a solution?

Jenise,

I have he same problem as you with whole pasta, and all my other carbs are whole grain, but I just can't do it with pasta.

I can "tolerate" DeBoles Angel Hair whole wheat pasta, but I think that is because I don't like that angel hair tends to get mushy, and the whole grain version stays al dente no matter what.

Any other shape, to me, is NOT exceptable!

I also eat a lot of rice pasta...but I think that is not any healthier than the regular pasta...LOL!

[Jenise]

Maria, haven't tried the angel hair, but I have the same issue with non-WW angel hair that you do, so I just skip that category of pasta altogether and go straight to vermicelli. Which reminds me, a local market has a take-out Asian noodle salad that they use whole wheat thin spaghetti for, and it's quite good. The soy and sesame flavors enhance the wheat flavors nicely, and the pasta has a good chewiness to it. What you site is probably why they use it in preference to plain egg noodle pasta, and it looks pretty good sitting in their deli case too.

You mention rice pasta...what about corn pasta? I've seen some up here, and even bought and cooked some once. I wasn't terribly impressed, but I may not have cooked it right (the directions are in Chinese, so I was on my own). I tried the traditional boiling method, and also pouring boiling water over it off the stove the way you would mai fun. The second seemed closer to right, but I ran out of pasta before I nailed it.

Jenise,

I am not a fan of corn pasta at all...I just don't like the consistancy. I have tried several brands and shapes, and all were pretty awful. I have also tried potato based pasta, and other non-wheat pastas (because of my son's wheat allergies). All were pretty awful IMHO. However, I do enjoy the rice pasta, and have always loved it in Asian applications (ie, pad thai or mai fun). My grocery store even carries a whole line of different shaped rice pastas that I think are really good. I have even had their rice pasta shells that I have cooked with olive oil, garlic and broccoli...it was quite tasty!

Jenise, I just pulled the Barilla Plus out of my pantry. It says "Good source of protein and ALA Omega 3 Multigrain Pasta." The ingredients in order are: Semolina, grain, and legume flour blends (lentils, chick peas, egg whites, spelt, barley, flaxseed, oat fiber, oats), durum flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid.

It obviously is healthier than regular pasta and is very good if I'm in the mood for being healthy. I might make it with a marinara sauce and turkey sausage. Health concerns aside, I prefer regular pasta, especially in dishes like the one I prepared for company the other night where pasta is the star of the show and not just a vehicle for a heavy sauce.

Remember, cinnamon helps keep blood sugar levels level.

I've read that, but am certain how someone who wanted to go that route administers it. Eat the bark? Swallow a solution?

Personally, I just take 1/4 tsp of powdered cinnamon and swig it down with a liquid. I've noticed cinnamon capsules at Costco.