Gluten-Free Pasta

I know I said I was eating gluten again, but it also started making my stomach sad that I was eating sandwiches, cereals, cookies, etc again, so I've tried to cut back just a little. That being said, I haven't completely cut out carbs, so I figured making pasta for lunch yesterday wasn't going to upset my body at all. In fact, I think my stomach was smiling as I finished each bite of one of the most savory and delicious options I've made all week.

It started when my mom brought a slew of gluten-free products into my place of work last week. Amongst the various types of rice crackers, I also had to fit a colossal sized bag of ancient grain quinoa pasta into my purse. I looked like I was smuggling food out of Oreganos. I assumed it would stay in the "share corner" of my apartment for weeks, neither of my roommates and I were very motivated to boil 12 cups of water at any point over the next few days. However, yesterday I had a hankering for pasta after gazing longingly at the bag, and Claire (one of my roommates) was only too excited when I suggested that I would make it.

After boiling 12 cups of water, I added 3 cups of pasta to the pot, and let that simmer--uncovered--for around 9 minutes. Then I drained the water and let the pasta cool for 7-10 minutes. I was really craving spaghetti sauce, but fate had other plans, and I found a basil-pesto spread on the door of my fridge. It was perfect. I put 3/4 cup of noodles (around 200 cals) into a bowl and added 1/2 teaspoon of the basil pesto sauce in. Better than any restaurant, if I do say so myself (which I totally do).

For the record, there are 3 cups of noodles in that bowl, not 3/4, so unless you're really hungry don't try to duplicate this picture for consumption--the serving size will be a bit off

-KIM