Healthy diabetic and diet friendly Italian pasta recipes

Try Dreamfield's pasta for a healthy, hearty meal.

Pasta is an all time favorite, but it's high in carbohydrates and calories. So what's a dieter to do? Dreamfield's Foods has solved this dilemna with their delicious line of Dreamfield's pastas. Whether your weakness is spaghetti, liguine, or penne, now you can indulge your passion for pasta and still watch your waist line.

Pasta is a cook's dream. It's versatile, cooks fast and easy, and pairs well with vegetables, shell fish, meats, and cheeses as diverse as parmesan, Romano, mozzarella, and fontina. You can easily create a different dish every day of the week by combining a different pasta, sauce, cheese, and meat.

Served as an entree or a side dish, pasta pleases nearly every palate. Enjoy your favorie mouthwatering go-to recipe with a simple, great-tasting sauce and lunch or dinner are not only a snap to prepare, but also special and healthy.

Prepare this month’s Classic Tomato Sauce with Linguine from Dreamfields Pasta and nationally-acclaimed Chef Jim Coleman. If you double or triple the sauce recipe, you can store extras in the freezer for up to 2 months for an on-the-spot meal when you need it. 

Dreamfields is a staple in Chef Coleman’s weight loss and diabetes-friendly recipes because each serving has: Only 5 digestible carbohydrates, grams of fiber, and 65% lower glycemic index than traditional pasta!

CLASSIC TOMATO SAUCE WITH LINGUINE

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 box uncooked Dreamfields Linguine

1 medium onion, quartered

5 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dried or 3 tablespoons fresh basil

1 tablespoon dried or 3 tablespoons fresh oregano

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup tomato puree   

Salt and ground black pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan.

2. Meanwhile, place onion and garlic in food processor; pulse to finely chop. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and dried herbs, if using, to pan. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.

3. Add crushed tomatoes, red wine and tomato puree; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer to reduce to desired thickness, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh herbs, if using.

Season with salt and pepper as desired.

4. Serve over linguine.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: Sauce recipe can be doubled or tripled. Freeze up to 2 months.

Nutrition information (1/4 of recipe): 526 calories; 16 g protein; 31 g digestible carbohydrates*; 13 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 411 mg sodium; 14 g total dietary fiber.

*If traditional pasta is used in this recipe there is a total of 91 g carbohydrate. For more information go to Dreamfields Foods.

Recipe courtesy of Dreamfields® Pasta. (See bonus recipe below the video.)

Basic Tomato Sauce With Linguine

Bonus Recipe: Evening In Rome Pasta with Artichokes and Olives               Serves 6

4 ounces pancetta or smoked bacon, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 - 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained -Or- 4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 -14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained -Or- 1 1/2 cups fresh artichoke hearts

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 - 2 ounce can black olive slices, drained

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 pound Dreamfield's fettuccine or linguine

Additional Rosemary sprigs for garnish

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook pancetta, stirring often, until brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, artichoke hearts, wine, olives, rosemary and crushed red pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain well and toss with sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Recipe above from "Love Those Vegetables Cookbook" by Carol Bardelli.

For more Dreamfields videos, click here for the Dreamfields Pasta YouTube channel link.

Visit Dreamfields Facebook Fan Page.