Bean pasta.
Sounds like an oxymoron of some sort.
But it’s a thing.
yes. These are beans camouflaged as pasta. For real, just beans.
And because these products are just beans, they are naturally gluten-free.
If your into that sort of thing, which I am.
For those of you that don’t know, I got a Celiac diagnosis back in March after a biopsy from my Endoscopy showed damaged intestinal villi. I have a long history of GI problems (10+ years) so this was both a shock and a relief to finally have some answers.
Yes, I did mourn the loss of certain wheat and other gluten containing foods. Corona on a hot day, cake batter ice cream, and Trader Joe’s Kringle. RIP old friends.
On a positive note, this is a great time to be living with a Celiac diagnosis. The gluten-free trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, so there are many other fantastic options out there to fill the void.
I can’t live without carb-y alternatives. These are a fave of mine. So, so good. Pfft. Who needs gluten.
But gluten-free pasta? That’s a different story. I had already tried several gluten-free pastas (made from rice) before my diagnosis, but what I found with most of those pastas is that they were just not good. I found the pasta to either be slimy, clumpy and just not worth the time or effort. That said, when I found out that I had Celiac Disease and could no longer have anything with wheat or gluten, I had to venture a bit further to get my fix.
Best discovery ever?
Bean pastas.
High protein. Just beans and water.
First off, I can’t believe the nutrition profile of these babies. Just beans. What?
Seriously.
And check this out.
25 g of protein in one serving?
And let’s not kid ourselves. I’m not eating one serving.
So come again. 50 grams of PLANT-BASED protein in 2 servings?
You ask, but how does it taste?
Happy to report that it tastes fantastic and has amazing texture. Chewy, but not rubbery.
I have been eating bean pastas for about 6 months now and am super psyched to have these in my kitchen arsenal.
Worth noting, the My Foodie Call kids approve of this pasta as well. Once they got past the funky color…
yes. looks weird…but they got over it and you can too.
Here is where I purchase my bean pastas.
http://www.amazon.com/Explore-Asian-Organic-Spaghetti-7-05-Ounce/dp/B004NSG8F6
Of course today’s post wouldn’t be complete without a recent recipe I whipped up to get you going on your bean pasta journey (if there was such a thing.)
…and its a one pot recipe. So no mound of dishes to do. Sweet.
Here is what you start with.
Cook up that pasta with your bouillon cube.
Add the jar of pesto.
Add your diced tomatoes and (gasp) more beans….
That’s pretty much it.
Ingredients
1 package Black Bean Pasta (7.05 oz)
4 cups water
1-2 Vegetable Flavor Bouillon Cubes (to taste)
1 jar Pesto (7 or 8 oz)
1 can No Salt Diced Tomatoes (14.5 oz) (Why no salt? Check out the sodium in those bouillon cubes. Plenty of salt. you don’t need it in the diced tomatoes.)
1 can Cannellini (white kidney beans) rinsed and drained
1/2- 3/4 cup fresh Parmesan Cheese (to taste)
Directions
Add pasta, water and bouillon to a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil. Cook according to package directions, stirring frequently. When pasta is tender, do not drain, but reduce heat to low.
Stir in jar of pesto.
Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has reduced slightly.
Stir in diced tomatoes and can of beans.
Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Sprinkle with cheese before serving. Season to taste.
Hearty, filling and seriously delicious.
