Finding Paleo-friendly alternatives from your pre-Paleo days is much easier than you may think. Substituting sea salt for refined salt and natural sweeteners for refined sugars are just two ways you can swap processed foods for healthier alternatives. Although I’ve talked about some of my favorite Paleo alternatives in the past, today I thought we would focus on 4 Paleo substitutes you can use in place of pasta in your favorite dishes.
Vegetable Noodles – Vegetables such as zucchini, carrots and sweet potatoes can easily be turned into noodles using a spiral slicer. Each offers it’s own texture and flavor to compliment popular Italian sauces. I tend to use zucchini to make “zoodles” because I find the flavor profile is easily hidden with pasta sauce and it also hold up well when cooked. If you don’t already have a vegetable spiral slicer I highly recommend investing in one like the Sur La Table Vegetable and Fruit Spiral Slicer or this hand held version.
Spaghetti Squash – This winter squash is fairly easy to prepare and naturally has a “spaghetti” like consistency making it a healthy go-to pasta substitute. As with the zoodles, the squash flavor can easily be disguised by sauces both light and heavy. If you are new to using this vegetable, I highly suggest giving it a try.
Spinach – Years ago I learned that spinach is a great alternative to pasta in a number of recipes. Both in baked dishes or under your favorite sauces. While this swap might not be for everyone, why not give it a try?
Capellos Pasta – Cappello’s is a Colorado-based gourmet food company specializing in high-end gluten free, grain free products, including fettuccine, gnocchi and lasagna. Made primarily from almond flour and egg, Capello’s pasta alternatives are rich and delicious – perhaps the closest to traditional pasta I’ve seen!