What do you put on your pasta?

[Sara]

So, I know tomato sauce isn't really good because of the potassium.  And a cream or cheese sauce isn't good because of the phosphorus and/or potassium.  So what do you put on your noodles?  I have a whole bunch I need to use up and could use some suggestions.   

[Joe Paul]

I use just a little sauce, just enough for taste. It takes getting used to, but give it a try.

[Bajanne]

I agree.  Sometimes the solution with our diet is not just leaving out certain things totally.  Just use a little tiny eensy-weensy bit, to get the taste, and that's okay, especially if you use your binders.

[meadowlandsnj]

So, I know tomato sauce isn't really good because of the potassium.  And a cream or cheese sauce isn't good because of the phosphorus and/or potassium.  So what do you put on your noodles?  I have a whole bunch I need to use up and could use some suggestions.   

Hi
Sometimes I put a little bit of oilve oil and some grated parmesan reggiano cheese.  It's very flavorful so I use only like half a tablespoon of the cheese. It adds such a rich flavor to plain old pasta!  And a little goes a long way especially with the hard Italian cheeses. Do you like pesto? It's olive oil with basil and sometimes pine nuts but I leave out the pine nuts sometimes.  Plus sometimes with pasta you have to think out of the box.  Try some curry seasoning, hot seasoning tossed with a bit of butter or oilve oil. You can also toss some canned tuna with pasta or chicken shrimp, turkey..whatever you like to eat.  Pasta is such a versatile dish. And there are so many different kinds of it.  Sometimes I like to sit down and make a bowl of pastina--the little tiny stars for dinner. Sometimes I cook  pasta in low sodium chicken or beef broth instead of water.   I've been using Smart Balance in place of butter on pasta and it's really pretty good, I don't miss butter at all and there's no trans fats in it.  You can also make a spaghetti cake!  Well, it's what I call a spaghetti cake....most people call it a frittata I think.  Mix some eggs together like you're making scrambled eggs, add whatever else you want to it like any vegetable, spices or meat you want.  Put some cooked pasta in a buttered baking dish and cover with the egg/ veggie/meat mixture and bake it in the oven until it's set.   Slice it like a cake or spoon it out.  Before I had ESRD I used to put some feta cheese and spinach in to make a Greek version.  I suppose I still can if I use the cheese and spinach in smaller amounts.  Ever try noodle pudding?  It's basically the egg mixture with a little sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a little milk or half and half.  Bake it with cooked noodles--it's pretty good too and if you're a diabetic I bet you can use Splenda instead of sugar. 
And pasta is cheap!     Sometimes the ShopRite has Ronzoni 3/$1.00 so I stock up. 

Donna

[BigSky]

I use no salt canned tomatoes to make my own sauce.  Roughly 105mg of K per 4 ounces.

[angieskidney]

Hi
Sometimes I put a little bit of oilve oil and some grated parmesan reggiano cheese.  It's very flavorful so I use only like half a tablespoon of the cheese. It adds such a rich flavor to plain old pasta!  And a little goes a long way especially with the hard Italian cheeses. Do you like pesto? It's olive oil with basil and sometimes pine nuts but I leave out the pine nuts sometimes.  Plus sometimes with pasta you have to think out of the box.  Try some curry seasoning, hot seasoning tossed with a bit of butter or oilve oil. You can also toss some canned tuna with pasta or chicken shrimp, turkey..whatever you like to eat.  Pasta is such a versatile dish. And there are so many different kinds of it.  Sometimes I like to sit down and make a bowl of pastina--the little tiny stars for dinner. Sometimes I cook  pasta in low sodium chicken or beef broth instead of water.   I've been using Smart Balance in place of butter on pasta and it's really pretty good, I don't miss butter at all and there's no trans fats in it.  You can also make a spaghetti cake!  Well, it's what I call a spaghetti cake....most people call it a frittata I think.  .......

Wow Donna you are amazing!  Great stuff! 

[Sluff]

If my diet ever has to change, I'm going to be in deep doo doo cause, I like my pasta and my red sauce.

[glitter]

somewhere here rerun mentioned her 'oarnge pasta' with just enough sauce for color-and that actually kicks butt-we really like it-

I also make beef stroganoff using coffemate and sourcream,garlic and lots and lots of black pepper for a sauce

you can use onions reduced in water for a sauce base,then spice to taste with whatever you fancy

[Sluff]

somewhere here rerun mentioned her 'oarnge pasta' with just enough sauce for color-and that actually kicks butt-we really like it-

I also make beef stroganoff using coffemate and sourcream,garlic and lots and lots of black pepper for a sauce

you can use onions reduced in water for a sauce base,then spice to taste with whatever you fancy

Thanks for the alternatives. Now if I could twist my own arm.

[Panda_9]

Providing you can have a little tomato, I make this.

Sweet Roasted Tomato Pasta

Serves one

4-6 grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
Handful fresh herbs - Parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil, chopped roughly
grated fresh parmesan
Olive oil
Cooked spaghetti noodles

Cut tomatoes in half. You can use cherrie or normal tomatoes (wedged). Place in a small baking dish, drizzle with a little oil and season. Bake in a moderate oven until just starting to collapse, keep warm. In a small saucepan warm a good glug of olive oil. Add the garlic and warm until fragrant. It should be just sizzling slightly. Add noodles, herbs, and parmesan and stir through, season to taste.

Or this....

Pesto, mushroom, and bacon pasta
(Serves about 4)

4 tablespoons basil pesto (normally i use sundried tomato pesto)
1/2 cup cream
2-3 rashers bacon, finely chopped (remove rind and most of fat)
2 large mushrooms, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large ripe avocado, cut into quarters and diced (probly not suitable for Dx patients, but its just part of the recipe so ill leave it as is)
Fresh grated parmesan cheese
Small spiral noodles (or whatever you like)
Olive oil

Saute the onion, bacon and garlic in a very small amount of olive oil until softened. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened. Add the pesto and saute for about 1 minute. Stir in the cream warm through until slightly thickened. You can add more or less pesto and cream if you think it needs it. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the noodles in salted/oiled water until aldente. Put the noodles into the pan with the pesto mix and combine. Serve in large bowl topped with avocado and a small amount of parmesan cheese.

This isnt too bad with noodles or rice or mashed potato........

Nans Savoury mince

500gms lean minced beef
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp gravox gravy powder
1-2 tsp curry powder (more or less if desired)
Salt to taste
Water

Saute mince in a little oil until browned. Add onion and garlic and stir until softened. Add carrot, curry, and gravy and stir for a minute. Add a couple of cups of water and stir really well. Cook on a low-mid heat for about 30 mins - 1 hour until cooked down and thickened. If not thickened add more gravy. Add salt if needed. It needs to be about as thick as a meat pie filling. Serve with mashed potato and steamed vegetables or plain rice and steamed veges.

[MooseMom]

Try to find a place that specializes in olive oils.  There is a wide variety of tastes.  I like to fry some diced shallots and garlic in a really lovely olive oil, and then add some fresh herbs.  I have my own herb garden, so that's a cheap option for me, but you can always buy fresh herbs at the supermarket.  When the shallots and garlic are tender, just drizzle it over the pasta.  Get some fresh bread, and voila!

[aharris2]

i use garlic butter or extra virgin olive oil n garlic.....but if I'm feeling a little i use low salt marinara sauce or meat sauce n make it spaghetti n meatballs hmmmmmmmmmmm great

Rolando

[Rerun]

Try to find a place that specializes in olive oils.  There is a wide variety of tastes.  I like to fry some diced shallots and garlic in a really lovely olive oil, and then add some fresh herbs.  I have my own herb garden, so that's a cheap option for me, but you can always buy fresh herbs at the supermarket.  When the shallots and garlic are tender, just drizzle it over the pasta.  Get some fresh bread, and voila!

Sounds delicious!

[tamara]

Try to find a place that specializes in olive oils.  There is a wide variety of tastes.  I like to fry some diced shallots and garlic in a really lovely olive oil, and then add some fresh herbs.  I have my own herb garden, so that's a cheap option for me, but you can always buy fresh herbs at the supermarket.  When the shallots and garlic are tender, just drizzle it over the pasta.  Get some fresh bread, and voila!

Sounds delicious!

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[thegrammalady]

If you can have cheese try:  an egg
                                        a bit of margarine
                                        some Parmesan

the heat from the hot pasta will melt the butter and cook the egg, and you don't need much for a large quantity of pasta.

[Nan]

I AM SOOOOOOOOOO HUNGRY NOW!!!!!!  Pasta and rice are two of my favorite foods, I grew up on pasta in an Italian family having it like three times a week, it is my comfort food.  I agree, find some good flavored olive oil and cook up onions, garlic and my very  fav....sweet red peppers/yellow ones and green ones, I cook them low and then sprinkle a bit of splenda on them to caramelize and yum yum....great flavor!

[joeylars]

I eat tomato sauce all the time, homemade with little salt added. A quick topping for pasta which is not high in Phos would be cottage cheese,  and a fresh herb such as parsley or chives.

[goofynina]

I eat tomato sauce all the time, homemade with little salt added. A quick topping for pasta which is not high in Phos would be cottage cheese,  and a fresh herb such as parsley or chives.

How is cottage cheese not high is phos?  Isnt it a dairy product?  I love cottage cheese but havent bought any for this reason, 

[thegrammalady]

cottage cheese, i'd be more worried about the sodium

4 ounces = 459 na
                 97 k
                 152 phos

just call me the girl with list after list after list

[jbeany]

Cottage cheese is reasonable for phos.  So is grated Parmesan cheese.  I like my ramens with a bit of butter, a sprinkle of bacon crumbles, and some Parmesan on them.  A little goes a long way, since such high fat food has lots of flavor in small amounts.

[carson]

To Jbeany:  man, I can't believe you eat ramans!! They're SOOOOO bad for you with all the palm and/or coconut oil in them!! Just helping clog up the ol' arteries! Ooooh.

But regarding the cottage cheese, I was told to eat it too but I find it way too salty!

[angela515]

Cottage cheese is reasonable for phos.  So is grated Parmesan cheese.  I like my ramens with a bit of butter, a sprinkle of bacon crumbles, and some Parmesan on them.  A little goes a long way, since such high fat food has lots of flavor in small amounts.

I love ramens... mmmmmmmm!!! And Cottage Cheese

[glitter]

To Jbeany:  man, I can't believe you eat ramans!! They're SOOOOO bad for you with all the palm and/or coconut oil in them!! Just helping clog up the ol' arteries! Ooooh.

But regarding the cottage cheese, I was told to eat it too but I find it way too salty!

Ramans are bad? My husband eats them too- his cholesterol is only 166, so they can't be hurting too bad.(and his labs are perfect)

[jbeany]

Huh - just read the ingredients list on my ramen pack.  Never paid that much attention before, I guess.  I've read the nutrition facts - which state that the total Cholesterol is 0 mg.

the ingredients list - (noodles only)
Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thaimine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: canola, cottonseed, palm)  Preserved by TBHQ, salt, potassium carbonate, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt), sodium phosphate, sodium carbonate, turmeric.

My cholesterol is always really low any how.  If I'm worried about the ramens for anything, it's the sodium and the phosphates.   I avoid most of the sodium by not using most of the seasoning packet, but I still don't have them very often because of how salty they are, not because of the possiblity they contain palm oil.

[YouDontKnowCecil]

I make my own cheese sauces. I use less cheese than normal, and thicken with more flour than normal. I don't use milk when I make the sauce; I use either a small amount of half & half OR heavy cream, and dilute with water.

As for tomato sauces, I don't avoid them altogether If I eat them I will eat one serving a day, max. I never completely exclude anything from my diet except for artificial sweeteners, beer, potassium/sodium nitrates and nitrites (well I at least try to, once in a while I'll break), grapefruit, and starfruit.