A Taste of Italy: Pasta e Fagioli Recipe

Image source: http://oldwayspt.org

It's been a while since I've posted any recipes, yet searching up new and delicious recipes is something I do almost on a daily basis! I just stumbled upon this one from an amazing website called "simply recipes" and couldn't wait to share it with you guys. It's a recipe for Pasta e Fagioli, which is basically a really thick pasta soup (I'm sure my Italian friends would be able to elaborate further on the description, but that's my take on it!). It looks delicious, yet simple and hearty - a perfect dish for the cold, snowy days we've been having here in Toronto.

I'm sure many people are wondering, how can you make such a carbohydrate-heavy dish healthier? Well, there are a few simple changes you could make to "up" the health factor.


1. Decrease the amount of pasta you use.
This will lower the calories and carbohydrate content of the dish. Boil the pasta separately from the soup and keep it in a container. This way you can add as much (or as little) as you would like, and potentially avoid soggy pasta if you are packing it up for tomorrow's lunch!

2. Use whole wheat pasta.
All the Nonna's out there are having heart attacks right now. I know most "true" Italians scoff at the idea of whole wheat pasta, but if you can substitute it for white pasta, at least you're increasing your fibre intake. Most North Americans do not get enough fibre in their diets, since we eat a lot of processed foods. But increased fibre intake is associated with better digestive health (ie. helps to prevent or relieve constipation), and may even play a role in heart health. It can also help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight since it helps keep you full longer. So load up on that fibre!

3. Increase the amount of vegetables/legumes.
 This is a hearty dish, and already has lot's of veggies, but if you load up on beans (high in fibre and iron!!), carrots, celery, tomatoes etc., you'll increase the amount of essential vitamins and minerals.

4. Use a low-sodium broth.
High sodium = bad for heart health. We get too much sodium in our diets, so making a conscious effort to decrease our intake is a great idea.

5. Skip the parmesan cheese on top.
Cheese is high in fat. Omitting this topping can save calories if you are trying to watch your weight!



Here is the recipe, taken from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pasta_e_fagioli/

Check out the website for comments and pictures of the process.

Pasta e Fagioli Recipe (Simply Recipes)

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 35 minutes

Ditalini pasta is commonly used for pasta e fagioli, but you can use any short pasta — or you can break up vermicelli into small bits.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon chile flakes
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock for vegetarian option
• 5-6 small peeled tomatoes, broken to pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 pound ditalini pasta
• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 1/2 cups of freshly cooked beans*)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Salt and black pepper to taste

* To cook the beans from scratch, start with 1 3/4 cups dry beans. Either soak them overnight in water, or cover them with boiling water and let them sit for an hour, then drain. Place the soaked beans in a pot, cover with two inches of water, bring to a simmer, and cook until tender, about an hour.

Instructions
1 Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, carrot and celery for 2-3 minutes, until its soft and translucent. Add the garlic, chile flakes and Italian seasoning and saute another minute.

2 Add the chicken stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and keep the soup at a strong simmer.

3 When the pasta is al dente, add the beans and cook another 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Yield: Serves 4-6.

Buon Appetito!

Tips For The Hungry Student

We’ve all been there. You get home from class, it’s late and you’re hungry and tired. The last thing you want to do is make a home cooked meal. So what do you do? Reach for a box of Kraft Dinner. Although this may satisfy your hunger and requires little time to make, how good is that neon yellow, powdered cheese for you in the long run? Probably not the best.

So now the question is; how do you get a healthy meal for a limited amount of money and in a limited amount of time/effort? It seems too good to be true but I promise you it is attainable… it just requires a bit of planning.

Steps To Follow

Monday: Find a cheap grocer

During your commute to school, morning coffee, or at some point when you have 10 minutes of downtime, scout out a cheap grocery store in your neighbourhood. In Toronto No Frills and Food Basics are usually safe bets. If there is no cheap grocery store in your neighbourhood, most grocery stores will be happy to price match deals found in flyers or online.

Tuesday: Browse grocery store flyers

See what’s on sale! Most stores advertise deals online, so there is no need to sift through piles of paper flyers.

Wednesday: Make a list

Before going shopping, make a list of food that you need. Take into consideration the sales that are currently going on at the various stores and try to base your list on these items. First think of staples that you know you need/use everyday such as bread, butter, milk, etc. Staples usually cover breakfast and lunch, but dinner can take a bit more planning. For meal ideas, browse a recipe site such as simplyrecipes.com.

To figure out what to make for dinner, think of foods that go well together in a meal:

1) Choose a meat option like fish, chicken, beef, and pork. These can be expensive so if there is a sale on meat, buy a larger amount and freeze it. Try some meat alternatives (things that give you protein, but aren’t meat) such as beans, chickpeas or tofu. Meat alternatives can be cheaper than meat if money is tight.

2) Then think of fresh vegetables (lettuce, broccoli, peas, carrots) and starches (rice, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes) that go well with the meat. Vegetables can be found cheap at farmer’s markets. Certain markets will even provide discounts on produce bought near closing time, as sellers want to get rid of as much food as possible.

3) Write everything down on a list

Thursday: Go shopping

This is the simplest part. You have a list of food to buy, now follow it.

Friday: Take a break

Saturday/Sunday: Make meals for the week – THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP

Use these days to make a few large quantities of meals that you can freeze or keep in the fridge throughout the week. It helps to buy a bunch of Tupperware and separate portions you can easily take with you to school for lunch. On campus longer? Take two containers. Yes you may need to buy a backpack (I know, how uncool).

Why is this the most important step? Because making one larger meal may take you 10-15 minutes longer to make, but it will save you 30 minutes everyday throughout the week. That’s 30 minutes x 5 days = 150 minutes, or 2.5 hours! Not only will it save you time, but it will save you money because you won’t be spending money to eat out. And best of all it will help your health! Restaurant food is packed with calories, sodium and fat.

So there you have it! How to eat well on a budget.

Food Labels - Should We Trust Them?

I recently watched a video from CBC Marketplace on food labels, and it reminded me just how misleading food labels can be. Although CBC Marketplace may not be the most credible source on food labelling, they do bring up some valid points. Many people don't know how to read the Nutritional Information on the back of the packages of food, and rely on health claims and food labels on the front of the packaging. Many of these health claims have not been approved by Health Canada and may make health claims that are not based on proven (unbiased) scientific evidence.

So what should we as consumers do?
1. Become educated on how to read the Nutrition Facts label (usually found on the back of the package), which provides information of nutrients per serving of product.

• These labels are required by law in Canada and tell you about the basic nutrients in each serving such as protein, fat, cholesterol, total carbohydrates, sugar, total calories, sodium, and a few other key vitamins and minerals. 
• Be aware of the serving size. One serving size may not include the entire contents of a package. For example, one can of soup is not considered one serving - generally 1/3 of the can is one serving. One cookie may be considered one serving, one table spoon of peanut butter is one serving etc. These serving sizes are not standardized and are created by the company who makes the product. 

2. Read the ingredients included in a package. This is generally found on the back of a package along with the Nutritional Facts label. The less ingredients listed on the package, the better.

3. Avoid relying on health claims placed on the front of a package such as "less sodium", "good for your heart", "scientifically proven". These are put on by manufacturers to sell you on the product. Always refer to the back Nutrition Facts labels and Ingredients List to verify any health claims.

4. Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store - this is generally where the healthiest foods can be found. Most "whole" foods (not processed) such as fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry and fish can be found here.

It is worth watching the CBC Marketplace video on "Lousy Labels" - especially at 18 minutes when they reveal the #1 worst label claim (nitrate/nitrite free deli meat).

The link can be found below:
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2012/lousylabels/

Sources:
1. Nutrition Facts Label taken from  Canadian Heart Failure Network
http://www.chfn.ca/living-with-heart-failure/improving-your-diet