I am all about finding healthier alternatives for some of our favorite dishes. We've eliminated most prepackaged foods that come into the house, and the ones that do make their way in, the labels get scrutinized first. I just recently heard about this new pasta that's made from chickpeas, called POW! Chickpea Elbows pasta. This plant-based pasta is packed with protein, making it a great addition to my healthier recipe lineup.
From Ancient Harvest, POW! Pasta Protein line was designed to meet growing consumer demand for clean, plant-based protein alternatives. POW! Chickpea Elbow joins their original Red Lentil Rotini, Green Lentil Penne, Red Lentil Linguini, and Green Lentil Spaghetti.
POW! Elbows help fuel your day with with 21-grams of plant-based protein and 8 grams of fiber per serving. And, it's gluten-free, non-GMO, kosher, organic, and lower in sugar, sodium, and fat than most leading competitive brands.
After reading the label, I knew it was a pasta that I was going to feel good keeping stocked in our pantry.
3 Cheese Mac & Cheese is a staple recipe in our house, so earlier this week I replaced the white flour based pasta I have used in the past with new POW! Chickpea Elbows.
This creamy mac and cheese recipe is a real comfort food for us. It's one that I can make frequently and the family never grows bored or complains that it's on the menu again. It's super easy to make as well, my teen has no problems cooking it on her own.
Yield: Serves 6-8
Gluten-Free 3 Cheese Mac & Cheese
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 32 ounce carton chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 box POW! Chickpea Elbow pasta
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 4 quart baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium sized pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add in Pow! Chickpea Elbows and cook 4-5 minutes, until al dente.
- Remove from heat. Stir in heavy whipping cream and all 3 shredded cheeses. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Combine the melted butter and panko, stirring until panko is just moistened. Sprinkle over top of pasta.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve.
Which POW! Pasta product would you like to try first?
Looks nom! I'm surprised a bit by the size of the package, ours are usually double. We have pasta from everything in healthy food stores, even peanut pasta, millet pasta, veggy pasta, buckwheat pasta... you name it. It is usually triple more expensive than the usual one. I rarely eat pasta but I do put noodles in my soup every time.
ReplyDeleteOMG you've put THREE cups of cheese in it :)))
3 cups of cheese definitely knocks down the health factor, but it's all about balance, right ;)
DeleteWe're finally getting more pasta options here, which is nice. Though my family usually likes the standard white flour pasta, I can usually sneak in healthier options like this without them noticing a difference.
Sounds easy enough to do and a win with what's on the label too.
ReplyDeleteA win indeed when you don't have words you can't pronounce on the label!
Deletecheese?....love anything with cheese.
ReplyDeletehave a great day
Cheese makes everything taste so good!
DeleteDaisy would like that
ReplyDeleteYou should surprise her with a batch of it :)
DeleteI tried a different chickpea pasta and they just fell apart when cooking. I doubt I would try another one.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you have to be careful not to overcook chickpea pasta. It's done in about 4 to 5 minutes as opposed to the 7-9 minutes white and wheat flour takes to cook.
DeleteI just made a gourmet mac and cheese last week. It was good too! I'd probably try Chickpea Elbow. It sounds good. I like that it has more protein in it - than a traditional noodle.
ReplyDeleteThe added protein is a great benefit to this pasta, especially for vegetarians who have to look for meat alternatives to their protein source.
DeleteYes! As a vegetarian, I'm always looking for innovative ways to add protein to my diet. I'm going to try it. I might try it with gouda... I haven't used that in a mac and cheese yet, but I've heard it's delish. I'll let you know how it turns out if we find the pasta!
ReplyDeleteIf you can find them, get your hands on edamame pasta too. High protein and if I'm not wrong, lower cals than chickpea pasta too
ReplyDelete