Pasta. It’s usually one of those off-limits no-go ingredients when on a diet.
It makes sense. Store bought dry pasta is made of highly processed flour, eggs, and enough additives to preserve it for a shelf life that ensures it will still be edible long after the zombie apocalypse has come and gone. It’s best to avoid it unless you are a long distance marathon runner prepping for a race, and let’s face it, odds are highly against that being the case.
That still doesn’t stop the cravings for pasta dishes. Italian and Chinese food both have some serious juju when it comes to the ability to defeat willpower
Luckily, for those of us not planning on running 26.219 miles tomorrow, there is a great alternative.
Heart of Palm noodles. There is no food prep, no cutting or dicing, nothing. It’s available in all the mega-marts and comes off the shelf pretty much perfect:
It’s superior to traditional pasta in so many ways. It’s a fraction of the calories and carbs, plus it brings fiber and vitamins to the party. It’s also impossible to overcook, so you can set it to boil and forget it.
No matter how much you put the spurs to it, it will never turn into a bowl of mush. All you really have to do is rinse it off, throw it in a pot, and heat it up. You can use chicken stock or beef stock, depending on your recipe, to up the flavor.
Using stock also will completely mask the mild flavor of the palm plant the noodles have, if you are one of those complaining over-picky wimp types…I mean…supertasters that are sensitive to such things. Of course, we are adding seared skirt steak, delicious sauteed veggies, and a homemade alfredo sauce, so we have taste taken care of here.
If you are in the company of picky eaters, just don’t tell them it’s Heart of Palm noodles. Or, and this might be a better strategy, do tell them so they don’t even try it. That means more for you to eat, and you won’t even have to run to the mailbox and back to burn it off.
Steak Pasta
Ingredients:
2 packages Heart of Palm Angel Hair pasta
1 carton low sodium chicken broth
1 lb pasture raised skirt steak
1 bunch asparagus, 1 red and green bell pepper, 1 yellow onion
1 cup grass fed heavy cream
4 ounces grass fed butter
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 package Provolone cheese sliced
Salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder to taste
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions:
Wash and chop your veggies. Toss with 1/2 tsp of sea salt and pepper and olive oil, then roast on a sheet pan for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, stir and rotate, then roast for 10 more minutes:
Rinse your noodles and place in a large pot with the chicken stock and water to cover. Set on medium heat and bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat:
Trim the skirt steak of as much visible fat as possible, then chop into bite sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sear in a large skillet over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Drain and cover with foil to keep warm:
Melt the butter in the same skillet, then add the heavy cream and heat through. Add the Parmesan cheese in batches, stirring until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, then reduce until it thickens up:
Drain the pasta well, add to the sauce, then add the veggies and steak:
Cover with the sliced Provolone, then place under the oven broiler for a couple of minutes to melt and slightly brown:
Serve and enjoy:
See the list of all Jason Murphy’s recipes at www.mysaline.com/jason-murphy.