That is all fine and good on paper, but for the many people raised on pasta made with refined flour – also known as white pasta – whole-wheat pasta can be a little jarring to the palate. Although once accustomed to its nutty taste, some find it hard to return to the white stuff; for others, it’s a road just too tough to hoe.

Aversion to whole-wheat pasta is understandable given the earliest commercial incarnations of the product, which could be described as landing somewhere between bitter shoelaces and curls of grainy cardboard. But the pasta industry has really endeavored to revamp their offerings, and many of them are actually … lovely.

For those with traumatic memories of old-school whole-wheat pasta and for others clinging to resistance, there are ways to help. The following tricks can persuade even the most reluctant to succumb to the charms of white pasta’s healthier cousin.

1. Know your brands

Not all whole-wheat pasta is created equal. Good texture is dependent on high-gluten flour, which varies from brand to brand. These brands score well on taste and texture tests: Gia Russa, DeLallo, Garofalo, Barilla, Rustichella d’Abruzzo, and Bionaturae.

To that end, Barilla Plus offers a grain and legume flour blend that includes lentils, chickpeas, egg whites, spelt, barley, flaxseed, oat fiber, and oats. Accompanying a taste found comparable to white pasta, the product boasts boosted protein, soluble fiber, and a nice shot of omega-3s.

2. Cook it correctly

Whole-wheat pasta usually requires more cooking time than regular pasta, but don’t overcook it! Whole-wheat pasta quickly loses its texture if overcooked, so follow package directions carefully. Get your kitchen timer out and use it.

3. Skip the sissy sauces

If you don’t love the nutty taste, don’t use butter sauces or mild cream sauces; the inherent flavor in whole-wheat pasta will wallop delicate accompaniments. But if you must, add some strong-flavored cheese to balance the nuttiness.

4. Go big

That said, whole-wheat pasta loves big flavors. Try using a vibrant tomato sauce, chunky vegetable sauce, or a hearty pesto (a roasted jalapeno added to pesto makes the whole-wheatiness disappear). Think roasted peppers, fennel, capers, anchovies, and olives – strong flavors that can stand their own against the more assertive flavor that’s part and parcel of whole-wheat pasta.

5. Think green(s)

In the same vein, hearty greens – like broccoli rabe, chard, arugula, kale, beet greens, dandelion greens, etc. – work well to balance the nutty flavor. Sauté them with olive oil, salt, pepper, a load of garlic, and a scattering of cheese, and toss with the pasta.

Tip: When shopping, make sure to read the label to ensure you’re getting whole grains. Packages should list “whole [name of grain]” as the first ingredient, or look for the Whole Grain stamp, a yellow postage-size stamp issued by the Whole Grains Council. Be wary of labels that say “made with whole grains,” which can indicate that just a minuscule amount of whole grains were used.

The post 5 Tricks to Fall in Love with Whole-Wheat Pasta appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Ingredients

8 oz Vanilla non-dairy milk
1/3 cup Genuine Health Fermented Organic Vegan Protein in natural vanilla
1 tbsp molasses
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon allspice
1 cup of ice
1 tsp chia

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and mix. Enjoy.

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What you will need to make this salad

Ingredients
4 cups mixed lettuce greens
¼ cup (60mL) pomegranate seeds*
¼ cup walnuts
2 ounces (56g) soft goat cheese, crumbled

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:
½ cup (125mL) boiling water
6 Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz® Herbal Tea Bags
⅓ cup (80mL) red wine vinegar
⅓ cup (80mL) organic extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons (30mL) grated shallots
sugar – to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Make this vinaigrette by infusing water with 6 Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz® Herbal Tea Bags for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags. Combine vinegar, olive oil and shallots together. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Arrange a cup of mixed greens on 4 individual plates, garnish with pomegranate seeds, walnuts and goat cheese, drizzle with Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

*If pomegranate seeds are not available substitute sun-dried cranberries or blueberries.

Read this next: Harmful Food Additives in Salad Dressing

This post originally appeared on bigelowtea.com.

The post Green Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese Garnish appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus spears
1 cup red leaf lettuce
4 carrots
12 fiddleheads
1 cucumber
1 bunch broccoli sprouts
10 snow peas
Tahini dressing (mix tahini, crushed garlic, water, lemon juice, and salt)
Himalayan salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash all the ingredients well and dry before preparing.
2. Cut off tough ends of the asparagus and discard.
3. Chop the lettuce into small pieces so the red will pop when you prepare the salad.
4. Slice the carrots and cucumber.
5. Arrange the vegetables on a platter, sprinkle with broccoli sprouts, and drizzle with the tahini dressing. Add a little salt to taste. Enjoy.

The post Fresh Spring Salad appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Ingredients

2-3 pieces of kale
1 handful of spinach
1 celery stick
1 orange, peeled
2-3 pieces of swiss chard
1 tsp of chia seeds
1 scoop Genuine Health Fermented Organic Vegan Protein unflavored
optional 1/2 cup dairy-free beverage

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well. Enjoy with a sprig of fresh mint or a berry on top.

The post Leprechaun Smoothie appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Ingredients

1 apple, cored and roughly chopped
1/2 of a cucumber
3 stalks of celery
1 slice of avocado
1 cup of spinach or other leafy greens
A squeeze of a Lemon
2 ounces of Lily of the Desert Preservative Free Whole Leaf Aloe Vera Juice
Optional: Ice and Cilantro

Directions

Add all of the items to a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice if desired and garnish with optional cilantro.

This recipe originally appeared on Lily of the Desert's Blog.

More Smoothie Recipes:

5 Low FODMAP Smoothie Recipes
Carrot Banana Almond Smoothie
Dragonfruit Pineapple Smoothie

The post Green Detox Smoothie appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Ingredients

2 – 15 oz cans of chickpeas
1 large potato cut into small pieces
2 cups of vegetable broth
3 or more cloves of garlic (we like to add more)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus a little to drizzle on the top)
1 tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Pour the cans of chickpeas with their liquid into a blender and purée until smooth.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat, add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, or just until it's fragrant and smells good.
3. Add the chickpeas, the cubed potato, herbs, and some freshly cracked pepper, and stir well.
4. Add broth and stir again.
5. Cover the pot with a lid, heat on medium-high until boiling then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. Let the soup cool and then blend with an immersion blender until creamy and smooth.
7. Add salt and more pepper to taste.

Bon appetite.

The post Vegan Garlic Chickpea Soup appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Ingredients

8 oz Vanilla non-dairy milk
1 scoop Genuine Health fermented organic vegan protein (It comes in chocolate, vanilla or unflavored.)
½ cup of frozen strawberries
½ cup of frozen raspberries
½ cup of frozen blueberries
½ cup of frozen cranberries
1 cup ice

Directions

Combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth. Top with fresh berries or a sprig of mint if available.

The post Berry Berry Good Smoothie appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
A handful of chopped kale (or replace with spinach)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups water or use chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup red lentils

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions, celery, carrots, ginger, and garlic for a few minutes, until softened. Add spices and sauté a few more minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except greens, and cook 20 to 30 minutes or until lentils are soft. Finally, add greens and cook until they begin to wilt. Remove bay leaves and serve.

The post Red Lentil Soup Recipe appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Ingredients:

2 bunches of medium organic carrots (about 10)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups organic stock (chicken or vegetable)
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 cup organic coconut milk
1 small organic onion, chopped
1 organic celery stalk, chopped
pinch of sea salt and pepper

Read more about how to roast autumn vegetables

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Peel carrots and chop into 1" pieces. Place oil in a roasting pan. Add onion, cinnamon, celery, and carrots. Toss vegetables together to mix. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Place the vegetables in a food processor, add the stock, and blend. Gradually mix in coconut milk and blend well before serving. Alternatively, you can make it on a stovetop.

The post Cinnamon Carrot Soup Recipe appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.