I was so excited to find some new gluten-free pasta at Nature’s Pantry a couple of weeks ago, made from beans, rather than grains. Years ago, there used to be something similar, but it hasn’t been available in a long time. And frankly, this stuff is even better. The brand is Explore Asian, and I found a few places to get it on line if you’re not local.
I tried the black bean spaghetti and the mung bean fettucini, both with tomato sauce and with some fresh pesto from my garden. I particularly liked the fettucini.
Obviously the taste and texture are very different from traditional semolina flour pasta, so don’t expect it to be the same. But I’m excited that a) it does taste good and b) it’s much better nutritionally than either regular pasta or other gluten-free pastas, with 20 grams of protein and 17.5 grams of carbs in a serving for the mung bean, for instance. This makes them a good choice for anyone, even those working on weight loss. Most gluten-free pastas have a whopping 40-50 grams of carbs and only 4 grams of protein. And that’s for a very small portion.
If you try some, please let me know what you think. And if your local store doesn’t carry the brand, then ask them to order it for you. They need to know that people are looking for healthy gluten-free products.
Fran Sussman Holistic Services 