Whole Wheat Pasta

Whole wheat grains, eat them more often, say experts, which includes my mom, aunt, neighbor and my physician, and all the health experts from around the world. But what exactly is 'whole wheat' pasta? Wheat in its natural state is full of nutrients, which gets stripped as the grain gets refined. Most of these nutrients are concentrated in the outer layers of the wheat grain, which gets lost during the process of milling to extract white or refined flour. Whole wheat flour is basically the flour where the whole grain is grounded to get the flour.

As the concept of 'healthy foods' has caught on, there is widespread awareness about the goodness of whole wheat products; bread, pasta, and all bakery products. Pasta is one dish that is easy to make and enjoyed by all, children and adults. As it constitutes a major part of the diet, eating whole wheat pasta will prove to be very beneficial for health.

Nutrition Facts: Following is a table for one cup of whole wheat pasta, boiled, equivalent to 140 g.

Nutrient	Nutritional Value
Calories	174 calories
Protein	7.5 g
Calcium	21.0 mg
Carbohydrates	37.2 g
Dietary Fiber	6.3 g
Total Fat	0.8 mg
Potassium	61.6 mg
Magnesium	42.0 mg
Phosphorous	125 mg
Selenium	36.3 mg

Pasta Recipes

Before we get down to making a yummy pasta dish, let me tell you that you can make your pasta at home too. This way you will sure of what goes in it and what makes it healthy.

Basic Pasta
Ingredients

• Whole wheat flour, 1 cup
• Egg, 1
• Salt, ¼ tsp
• Water, as needed

Sift together whole wheat flour, eggs and salt. Add water, little at a time. Knead flour to form dough, add enough water to make the dough firm and not sticky. Rest the dough for ten minutes and roll it out as thin as you can. Roll the dough to make it appear like a roll. Don't put too much pressure while doing so, the sheets should not stick to each other. Use a very sharp knife to slice the roll into small rounds. Unroll the rounds into long noodles, if you want it shorter don't roll the dough out too much. Immediately dust some flour on the pasta.

Peppered Pasta
Ingredients

• Whole wheat spaghetti, 1 cup
• Grated Italian hard cheese, 1 cup
• Black peppercorns, 1 tbsp
• Chopped fresh parsley and basil, 2 tbsp

Dry roast the black peppercorns, until fragrant. Coarsely grind the peppercorns. Cook pasta in hot salted water, until al dente. Drain and set aside. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooked water. On low heat, boil the reserved water, spoon in cheese, crushed peppercorn and the herbs. Ladle pasta onto a plate and spoon the cheese sauce over it. Serve hot.

Pasta Salad
Ingredients

• Whole wheat penne, 1 cup
• Chopped tomatoes, ¼ cup
• Slit length wise baby corn, ½ cup
• Minced garlic, 2 cloves
• Balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp
• Green beans, ¼ cup
• Green peas, ¼ cup
• Chopped basil, 2 tbsp
• Grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, 3 tbsp

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Steam or boil beans, peas and corn. Boil penne in salted water, until al dente, and toss it with vegetables, tomatoes and the olive oil dressing. Stir well to coat all. Sprinkle basil and cheese before serving.

There are plenty of benefits of pasta with whole wheat, that will ensure a healthy life. Carbohydrates plays a major role in our health. Avoid food groups that are refined and polished, nature has a bounty of fresh food, make optimal use of them.