Can I post an ick here?
lol
There *IS* no substitute for pasta, in my opinion. I don't eat it all the time, but I do still eat it and when I want pasta, I want pasta.
I've heard of people putting spaghetti sauce on cooked broccoli and cauliflower, beans, some other type of veggie and even spaghetti squash. Now, while I personally ADORE spaghetti squash, I never eat it as a pasta substitute.
What does everybody have against pasta, anyway? Yes, I know, pasta equals GI type stuff. But pasta isn't as high on the GI list as everyone seems to think. In fact, many beans are higher on the GI scale than some pastas. For example, a serving of black beans is 30 on the GI scale and a serving of fettucini is 32. Not a huge difference there. Regular spaghetti is actually LOWER on the GI scale than black beans.
Most breads and cereals are higher on the GI scale than pasta
However, the difference between pasta and black beans is the beans will give you lots more fiber and protein. Have you ever tried whole wheat pasta? Great stuff.