You may have seen the new Banza rotini pasta at your local Costco and wondered if it’s worth it. I tastes great, freezes well when cooked, and pairs wonderfully with the green pesto pasta recipe.

Whole Grain vs. Regular Rotini

Have you ever wondered about the difference between whole-wheat pasta and regular pasta? Me, too! I’ve known for a long time that whole-wheat products are better for you, but in my investigation, I discovered a few more things that might help you make the switch from white to whole-grain products.

First of all, whole grain pasta has fewer calories per serving. That’s a bonus if you want to maintain or lose weight. Another advantage lies in the fact that since whole grain pasta has more fiber, you’ll feel fuller faster. If you try to eat fewer carbs (especially the empty ones), you’ll notice that whole grain rotini has fewer carbs than regular rotini.

A 2 oz serving of whole grain pasta is better for you because the wheat berries haven’t had the wheat germ and bran stripped away. Whole grain pasta is your best choice. But, if you can’t eat gluten products, you can still enjoy a tasty plateful of green pesto pasta.

If you’re like me, you may have friends, family members, or random dinner guests who can’t eat gluten products. Whenever I see a new product that has a lot of protein AND is gluten-free, I usually buy it. You never know who might show up on your doorstep in need of a hot, gluten-free meal.

Banza Rotini Pasta

You might wonder how rotini made with chickpea flour measures up. It has 10 more calories per 2 oz serving than whole grain pasta, and more (35g vs. 1.5g) fat. The 14g of protein vs. the 8g found in whole grain pasta make it a good choice if you worry about getting enough protein in your diet.

I recently found Banza rotini pasta at Costco and purchased a box—a dangerous thing to do because one never knows how the product will actually taste. But, I had tried a chickpea version of Hot Cheetos that tasted pretty good, so I thought I’d be safe. My gamble paid off. Everyone loves the green pesto pasta recipe I made with the Banza rotini (whew).

Another great gluten-free option is Barilla’s red lentil rotini (if you used it with this pasta recipe, it would end up looking like Christmas). The red lentil rotini has less fat (1.5g vs. 35g) and 13g of protein.

Whatever the case, green pesto pasta dishes don’t have to be utterly unhealthy. If you pair it with plenty of protein, you can enjoy the meal knowing that you’ve balanced proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. Balance, after all, IS the goal of healthy eating!

Looking for a green pesto pasta recipe that everyone can enjoy (including those who need to eat gluten-free foods)? Check out this tasty recipe! You can also make it with whole grain pasta. #GF #glutenfree #chickpeaflour #vegetarian… Click To Tweet Print

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