Due to constant buzz about low-carb, high fiber diets, pasta has gotten a bad rep over the years. However, recent studies have exonerated rigatoni and friends.

Long-term weight loss does not distinguish between low and high carb diets composed of similar calorie counts. So, with National Pasta Month starting tomorrow, it might be a good time to bring noodles back into your bowl.

Why, you ask?

Pasta provides critical carbs to fuel your body and brain. Especially the enriched options. They offer a solid source of several essential nutrients, like folic acid, iron and several B-vitamins. Whole-wheat varieties can provide up to 25 percent of daily fiber requirements in one serving.

Dreamfields Pasta, of durum wheat semolina, is one such higher fiber option. These guys contain inulin, a natural prebiotic fiber that has been shown to promote digestive health, has twice the amount of fiber (5 grams) of regular pasta, fewer digestible carbs and a low glycemic index, which offsets the cravings that can arise after a carby meal.

With the pasta party comes the opportunity to make your favorite dishes, sans the 600 plus calories and sodium that may be dished in a restaurant.

Primavera Pasta Salad

8 oz. Penne of your favorite pasta
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 small green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 (6 oz.) can black olives, pitted and drained
1 (8 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Cook pasta, drain and rinse under cold water.

Place pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients; toss well. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours and serve.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 220 calories, 5 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 36 g carbohydrate,
10 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 475 mg sodium.

Why, you ask?

Pasta provides critical carbs to fuel your body and brain. Especially the enriched options. They offer a solid source of several essential nutrients, like folic acid, iron and several B-vitamins. Whole-wheat varieties can provide up to 25 percent of daily fiber requirements in one serving.

Dreamfields Pasta, of durum wheat semolina, is one such option. These guys contain inulin, a natural pre-biotic fiber that has been shown to promote digestive health, has twice the amount of fiber (5 grams) of regular pasta, fewer digestible carbs and a low glycemic index, which offsets the cravings that can arise after a carby meal.

With the pasta party comes the opportunity to make your favorite dishes, sans the 600 plus calories and sodium that may be dished in a restaurant.

Primavera Pasta Salad

8 oz. Penne of your favorite pasta
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 small green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 (6 oz.) can black olives, pitted and drained
1 (8 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Cook pasta, drain and rinse under cold water.

Place pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients; toss well. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours and serve.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 220 calories, 5 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 36 g carbohydrate,
10 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 475 mg sodium.

Nah, it’s not really a coincidence that Skinny Dip City’s first day on the job coincides with National Ice Cream Month. I mean, look at us! We swim in the frozen stuff. So, to kick off a whole July of brain-freeze, we’re giving the scoop on how to indulge in the drippy dessert, while milking it for everything it’s worth.

No Bloat!

We usually get our fiber fix from not such fun sources like, oatmeal and beans. But even 96-year-old ice-cream maker, Blue Bunny, doesn’t expect us to chug our grandmother’s (blech) prune juice. The veteran Wells Dairy Company paired its latest summer release, Sedona Frozen Yogurt Granola Sandwiches (available in strawberry and chocolate) with the ingredient that helps you go. The 180-calorie thick sandwich—which oozes with fudge or fruit—is secured with honey oat granola wafers and filled with 3 sneaky grams of fiber. We just might become um, regulars.

Cheers!

By the time we reach dessert, there’s usually no room for another cocktail. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want one. Thanks to Mercer’s Dairy who’s ingeniously spiked its ice cream with 5% alcohol (yep, bring ID), we no longer need to sacrifice our post-dinner buzz. With flavors like Ala Port, Cherry Merlot, Chocolate Cabernet, Peach White Zinfandel, Royal White Riesling and Red Raspberry Chardonnay we’re gonna have our ice cream and eat our polyphenol antioxidants too. On Shelves at Whole Foods, Grace’s Marketplace & Sedutto.

Free tasting on 7.20.09 from 3pm-7pm at Whole Foods—Columbus Circle

Skim!

Your ad-worthy milk moustache no longer has to come from the carton. Capitalizing on the fact that ice cream can make all your problems go away and build strong bones, Turkey Hill fortified some of its flavors with extra calcium and Vitamin D. Go on, stick your whole face into: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Banana Split Light Recipe Ice Creams , Fudge Ripple and Chocolate Marshmallow Frozen Yogurts all the while murmuring, “it does a body good.”

Perfection!

By replacing cow’s milk, with the kind from a furry-skinned fruit, Turtle Mountain’s Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream is like your best friend ever.

• Digestible even by the least tolerant of lactose
• 1/2 cup has only 150 calories, 8 grams sugar, 5 grams fiber (tops the Bunny!).
• It’s plant based, so there’s no damaging of the eco-system with the cow’s grazing and, the “moo”-ers get some time off from farm work.

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