Babystep #24 - Gluten-free pasta

I forgot to include how I did the parsnips in yesterday's posts. I've roasted them with olive oil, salt and pepper before. This time, I put a bit of coconut oil in my hand and rubbed it all over the parsnips then seasoned with salt and pepper. The coconut oil paired really well with the sweetness of the parsnips.

I'm discovering how quickly I can get a healthy meal on the table when the decisions are already made. Christmas Eve, we had a busy afternoon of baths, painting nails, costumes and Mass. I knew I had some leftover chicken cornbread dressing but it needed a side. So I would steam some brussel sprouts and season with salt, pepper and a couple pats of butter. I had supper on the table in less than 15 minutes. Chicken nuggets and fries and pizza are not even that fast.

The good decisions come when we make the decision ahead of time instead of when we're short on time. A couple weeks ago, I was cleaning out the pantry and used up a couple boxes of wheat pasta. Pasta is third on the things that make me feel the worst behind cauliflower and fast food milkshakes. So why did I have wheat pasta in my pantry? I know that Tinkyada pasta is gluten free and delicious. We can even get it at Walmart. But I get in the store and I'm thinking of how to get the most bang for my buck. I can't justify in that moment spending a couple dollars more on pasta when I'm not being strictly gluten free anyhow.

I shopped at Target last week and they didn't have Tinkyada so I got Ronzoni Gluten free for the homemade mac and cheese. It's a suitable alternative. So I'm going to use brand loyalty to help keep the good decision consistent. From here on out, it's Tinkyada or Ronzoni gluten free pasta.

I learned something interesting on Amazon. The price of Tinkyada varies by shape.




But the spirals here are only $28.20. Spirals work fine with spaghetti and mac and cheese. In the earlier days of gluten free when products were not so accessible, spirals might be all you could find. I'm not hung up on a particular shape especially when there is a 10-20 dollar difference in the price of a box of 12. Even cheaper when you use Subscribe and Save.

I'm reducing the amount of italian pasta dishes that we eat. I like my predictable weekly schedule and there isn't an italian night. I can make lasagna occasionally on Sunday and use roasted veggies like eggplant and squashes instead of noodles. However, I will need pasta for mac and cheese to go with salmon or ham. A box of 12 should last about 3 months.