Corn Pasta w/ Leftovers and 10 things…
As part of my 2010 food related goals, I have almost completed 2 weeks of not eating any wheat. I keep going back and forth with the gluten free thing – and I am still not sure that I have all the answers. So there are going to be some fun experiments coming up! However, as part of my two week abstinence experiment, and my on-going efforts to find a pasta that doesn’t make me fall asleep within an hour, while still satisfying my Italian’s need for pasta, I re-discovered corn pasta. I have made, and enjoyed corn pasta in the past but guess I grew tired of the spaghetti shape. Happily on a recent trip to the health food store, I found corn pasta in an elbow shape from De Boles, a pasta company that I already really like for their use of Jerusalem Artichoke flour in their pasta. So I bought a box to try.
The thing I like about corn pasta is that it looks the same as regular pasta, and cooks the same as well – and I have never gotten a soggy, clumpy result, like I often do with rice pasta. Plus, I think that rice has the same affect on me as wheat. Don’t ask me why…Anyway, corn pasta tastes really good – and works well with any of your favorite pasta dishes.
For this dish, I sautéed 3 links of chicken sausage, added 2 cups of homemade tomato sauce from the freezer, about a cup of frozen peas and 2 cups of leftover roasted cauliflower. I added a dash of red wine, about a cup of homemade yogurt, and some herbs – like oregano and basil, as well as salt and pepper. Then I tossed the pasta in the sauce, and served with a generous helping of freshly grated parmesan cheese. This dish was so good! It made enough for 6 servings. The first night we each had one serving. The next night, we each had two! I justified it as part of the experiment. If I could eat corn pasta two nights in a row, and even double up the second night, and not feel sleepy – then corn would be IN! So for now it is in. Personally I would like to find an alternative, as I am not thrilled with all the modifications that have been done to corn, or how the subsidization of corn has led to a lot of food policy issues in the US. But for now, I am happy to have found pasta that I can enjoy! And my husband is happy too! 🙂
Next on my list to try is a handmade soaked pasta that I found via MAHM during a recent Twitter #realfood chat, and also see if I can find any pasta made from buckwheat – my ultimate, super grain!
\
Also, my blogging buddy Pam from A Love for NEW Recipes! gave me a Happy Blog Award, and asked me to name 10 things that make me happy. Thanks for the award Pam! These are in no particular order:
1. My husband, Roberto
2. My animals: Nimue, Pepino and Cipollina
3. Coffee
4. Archery
5. Working out and sweating!!!
6. Vermont
7. Milkshakes – although I rarely have them
8. Good friends and family
9. Music – especially fiddles
10. Growing things and taking care of my loved ones with good food
Rachel (S[d]OC) - January 13, 2010 at 1:11 pm
I’ve been trying to wean my husband off wheat for years. One time a doctor suggested years ago that he might have a problem with wheat, so he did try corn pasta and liked it. However, he gave up. He has so many symptoms of gluten issues and I really think it’s time to give it up, so I really like hearing about people having success with alternative pastas (and it’s a good dish to boot).
I want to get off the processed grains myself, so this is an exciting new food year for me. I’m taking all the help from blogs I can get.
Rosa - January 13, 2010 at 1:39 pm
That certainly looks like a fabulous dish! Tonight, I made something similar with leftovers (macaronis, homemade green pepper sauce with cream, homemade tomato sauce, chopped endives, onion, garlic and grated pecorino cheese).
Great to know more about you!
Cheers,
Rosa
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is - January 13, 2010 at 1:41 pm
I have never tried corn pasta. Now I am very intrigued!
Pam - January 13, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Thanks for the shout-out Jenn and I luv your 10 things…lovely!
Hope you enjoy your award!
Enjoy!
P.S. Hey Jenn, if I could ask…what is your blood type?…just curious!…might help with the allergy thing…like us too! We have been eating more cleanly and with the ‘Eat right for your blood type’…do you know of it! It does seem to be helping us!
Bob - January 13, 2010 at 2:55 pm
I’ve never heard of corn pasta, I need to find some.
The Leftover Queen - January 13, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Pam, my blood type is A+ and the eat right for your blood type says I should be a vegetarian which is so not right for me. Tried that for 10 years – and was the un-healthiest I have ever been in my life! ACK! 🙂
The Leftover Queen - January 13, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Rachel! Thanks for your comment! Yes, it is very hard to figure out the wheat intolerance stuff. Some of us have a sensitivity to wheat that is different from having an intolerance or being diagnosed with Celiac’s. I think that is where I fall in. Soaked or fermented wheat seems to be the answer for some, and so I am going to be doing some fun experiments with those kinds of methods over the next few weeks and months. So stay tuned!
Happy Cook - January 13, 2010 at 3:10 pm
I never knew there was cornpasta.
I love the things whichmakes you happy.
nina - January 13, 2010 at 3:31 pm
I wouldn’t say that I have entirely cut out wheat for the last 2 weeks now, but i certainly have cut out bread and I have loads more energy. Will be looking for the corn pasta!!!
Estela @ Weekly Bite - January 13, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Never heard of corn pasta before!! Now I want to try it !!!
LOVE the names of you pets 🙂
Natashya - January 13, 2010 at 4:38 pm
I have heard good things about corn pasta and have been on the lookout. My daughter is doing a voluntary elimination experiment too. She is quite sensitive and thinks gluten might be one of the culprits.
I love the list of things you are grateful for.. and I am suddenly craving a strawberry milkshake. 🙂
Pam - January 13, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Jenn…that is really interesting….but we have to go with what our bodies want. Great job for listening! Cliff and I are O positive. We are just staying mostly with lean protein, veggies, and complex carbs…seems to be working great!
Have a great evening!
Elle - January 13, 2010 at 5:08 pm
That looks wonderful! I’ll have to be on the lookout for corn pasta–we like trying new ones!
dawn - January 13, 2010 at 5:29 pm
I think I love that y ou play the fiddle the most and your little dogs too. Can’t wait for you to move to NE too! We have to hook up!
bellini valli - January 13, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Can you believe this is the first I have heard of corn pasta…and me from the provionce of Ontario where corn grows on every corner.
Teresa - January 13, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Hi Jenn. Your top ten things that make you happy indicate a very caring, loving nature. I’d never heard of corn pasta before. I’ll have to go our local organics grocer to see if I can find it. I’d be curious to see if the taste is any different from semolina. Pasta (next to chocolate) is my absolute favorite food to eat.
Jenn - January 14, 2010 at 3:43 am
Hmm…this is the first time I’ve heard of corn pasta. Either that Or I don’t know my pastas as I should. hehehe…
Alta - January 14, 2010 at 9:59 am
If you have access to an Asian grocery, you might scope out their noodle section. I recently found 100% buckwheat noodles (soba), but I also found sorghum noodles and millet noodles. Haven’t tried the millet yet, but the sorghum noodles were great – they’re shaped kinda like spaghetti or soba noodles, but they remain in tact and not mushy. Of course, you’re limited on shapes there, but it might give you some options! Good luck figuring out the gluten thing. It took me several tries going gluten-free before I really figured it out. My issues the first times? I didn’t remain gluten-free for long enough. Only when I was really eating clean, whole, natural foods, and was gluten-free for 2 1/2 months before “challenging” did my body truly tell me that gluten was my enemy. Happy eating!
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie - January 14, 2010 at 10:05 am
I haven’t had corn pasta yet and would love to try! This dish looks fabulous!
Dharm - January 14, 2010 at 10:11 am
Anything made from corn is good in my books! I”ve never heard or tried Corn Pasta but it sounds great! I love your 10 things that make you happy -with the exception of 4 and 6 (and maybe 5) we are pretty much on the same page!
lo - January 14, 2010 at 11:14 am
Corn and quinoa-based pasta are two of my favorites. I particularly like the corn pasta with a Mexican flair, but your pasta sounds great!
My mission these days is to find an organic corn pasta source, since all the GMO’s in corn really make me nervous (especially with the latest news on Monsanto’s GMO’d corn causing organ failure).
Will be interested to hear more about the soaked pasta!
Joan Nova - January 14, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Why is it that alternative pastas (including whole grain) are limited to 2 or 3 shapes? Can somebody tell me?
kat - January 14, 2010 at 1:36 pm
I’ve never even heard of corn pasta…interesting.
lisaiscooking - January 14, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Your pasta sounds fantastic with the roasted cauliflower! I haven’t seen corn pasta before, but now I’ll have to look for it.
Joanne - January 14, 2010 at 2:43 pm
I have never tried corn pasta but it sounds and looks delicious! Especially with those fabulous toppings you put on it.
You shouldn’t feel bad about eating corn pasta because of the corn in it…the companies that provide corn for things like this are totally different from the ones that are subsidized and made into HFCS… The corn strains are completely different…one that is actually made to be eaten as is (or put into foods that corn is SUPPOSED to be in…) and one that is specifically made to be engineered into preservatives and stuff.
Darius - January 14, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Never tried corn pasta either…but I love pasta…and I love corn…I think this would totally work.
Simone (junglefrog) - January 14, 2010 at 7:19 pm
I’ve never had corn pasta but this sure looks like a delicious dish!
Misty - January 14, 2010 at 7:56 pm
I second the soba noodle – they’re yummy. I’ve only seen them in the spaghetti shape though, so you just might tire of them. 🙂 I’ve bought them at Whole Foods, but could swear I’ve seen them in the regular stores too.
Michelle - January 14, 2010 at 8:35 pm
I’ve never even heard of corn pasta, but it sounds like something worth trying out! Thanks for the tip.
Cynthia - January 14, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Hey Jenn, Happy New Year to you and Roberto!
Cris - January 15, 2010 at 6:54 am
The dish itself and the pasta inside all looking fabulous! I have never had corn pasta and would love to try it, even though I haven’t seen it around here. Maybe sometime this year… I am planning a trip… just plans so far…
Erica - January 15, 2010 at 10:44 am
I’ve never heard of corn pasta! Sounds great. I love the names of your pets, my favorite is pepino 🙂
kris - January 15, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Very interesting and fabulous looking dish!
Lori Lynn - January 18, 2010 at 10:53 pm
I didn’t even know there was corn pasta. I look forward to trying it.
Best wishes for success on your goals.
LL
Nancy - January 19, 2010 at 4:16 pm
We did gluten free for awhile (hubby wanted to try it out). We actually had some really great meals and I loved the challenge. I did a lot of baking and we ended up eating more bread than we normally do because it was turning out so well! I felt bad because we were hosting an exchange student for a month – so not only did she enter a vegetarian household but a gluten free one as well. Luckily, she was an appreciative eater and liked everything. We eventually gave it up but it was fun to explore new things!