Rest assured, you can still have some comforting, familiar dishes when cutting back on carbohydrates or cutting out grains. Here are some of my favorite healthy swaps for pasta, bread, and wraps.
Vegetable Noodles
Try making noodles or spaghetti with vegetables like zucchini, sweet potato or carrots. If you are looking to cut down on calories, carbs and starches, these “noodles” are sure to satisfy that pasta craving. Use a spiral slicer or a mandolin to make thin, long spaghetti-like strips, dress with some fresh tomato sauce or a nutty pesto.
Kelp Noodles
This is another great noodle or pasta alternative made from the sea vegetable kelp. It has a nice chewy texture and requires no cooking. Eat it cold tossed with a pesto or an almond butter sauce. Deliciously satisfying.
Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash is a wonderful comfort food! Roast it and scoop out all the insides—it will look a little like spaghetti and is delicious with some stew on top or a nice bolognese. Here’s a great article on how to cook it.
Lettuce and Collard Greens Wraps
Instead of bread, wraps or tortillas, try using leafy greens. Boston lettuce and romaine works great as little cups or shells to hold minced meat and some guacamole, while the larger, sturdier collard greens work great as wraps. Fill them with vegetables and leftover chicken for a quick lunch or snack.
Root Vegetable Medley
Roast a variety of root vegetables—turnips, carrots, daikon radish, beets, etc. You can also toss in some Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and onions! Serve it as a side dish with dinner and use the cold leftovers as a salad topping the next day.
Katrine van Wyk is a graduate of Oslo University, the New School, and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is also a certified holistic practitioner by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. This article was originally published on DrFrankLipman.com.
*Image of “roasted vegetables“ via Shutterstock
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