Dry Pasta January -Why dried pasta is good for you
Updated: Jan 5
I'm one of those folks that hopes for year round moderation. The Italians seem to have mastered this after eons of practice. To the consternation of many of my friends in the wine business Dry January is now upon us. For those not in the loop, lots of folks have decided that after the indulgences and maybe even overindulgence of the holiday season January is a time to reset and give the body a little break. It's never a bad idea to take a step back, especially after a bit of binging. I had my fair share of wine and way too many sweet treats this holiday season and my plan instead is to moderate by celebrating Dry Pasta January.
Wait, you say, isn't pasta one of those heavy carb laden evils we should cut out in the new year to give the body a break. Au contraire, if you believe this you haven't been paying attention or are new to Etto. Etto's dried pasta could and should be the cornerstone of kicking off your New Year on the right track. Here's why our dried pasta is good for you Etto Pasta is:
Low Glycemic - which means low in sugar compared to most favorite foods including many vegetables.
Complex Carbohydrate - as a complex carbohydrate pasta cooked al dente (more on this next week) breaks down slowly in the body for around 36 hours without sugar spikes providing fuel and energy for active folks especially kids .
Protein by the Etto - Hopefully by now you know that Etto means 100 grams. A perfect portion of pasta for a meal. 100 grams of Etto pasta has 13-14 grams of protein without any additions. A little lean meat, veggies or cheese can boost this number.
Vegan and Vegetarian - If you don't eat meat or need a little break after the holiday meat wagon Etto pasta combined with fresh vegetables, legumes or Mighty Cap Mushrooms is the perfect satisfying meatless lunch or dinner.
Single Ingredient - Etto is a single ingredient food like a piece of fruit or vegetable from the farmer's market. The water we mix with our organic semolina flour evaporates during our drying process. It's a magical transformation.
Evil Gluten - We've had dozens of happy and grateful customers of Etto pasta report that the discomfort from gluten does not exist with our pasta. These folks tend to be our biggest evangelists. We suppose it has something to do with the organic supply chain and our commitment to high quality semolina flour and our sparkling clean facility. (Of course, those who are diagnosed with celiac disease should always choose gluten free pasta).
Testimonial - I've personally been eating Etto pasta from the day we tested our first batch over six years ago and have never felt better. Many friends ask me how I seem to have lost weight eating so much pasta during the last few years. When I started Etto I did so because of a love for pasta that started when I was a young boy. Living in Italy I discovered much higher quality pasta, that was not only more delicious than the pasta I grew up with, but also made me feel great. I combine our pasta with local veggies and sauces and other ingredients from the Etto marketplace that don't have hydrogenated oil or high fructose corn syrup.
I truly believe that healthy pasta is the key though to keeping my weight down and giving me energy to stick with my moderate exercise program. Most of my Italian friends eat pasta more than I do (like once or more per day) and seem to be the healthiest people I know. I plan to eat pasta this January more than any other food and also will have a little wine from time to time too. Hopefully you decide to take this journey with me too and boil up some dry pasta a few times a week and become a believer in ................Dry Pasta January.
Simple Dried PastaTo kick off Dry Pasta January I suggest keeping things as simple as possible. Choose your favorite shape and then just make a simple sauce with butter or olive oil and herbs (fresh or dried) add a little tomato sauce or some pulled chicken. Cook all in a deep pan or wok and then add the pasta mixing well with some pasta water. We think our pasta can be delicious completely on its own so go light and enjoy the flavor and texture of Etto pasta. Top with a touch of parmesan if you like. I will add some more of my favorite dry pasta recipes as the month progresses. Share your favorite with me if you'd like.  |