I hope I do not sound like a complete fool by telling you all this, although I know I definitely feel like one.

I had bought a box of Barilla Piccolino cartwheels and for some reason when I made pasta (for 1) I just assumed the 2oz. serving = 1/2 a cup. Apparently, even with all my education, it didn't occur to me to do the math...that 2oz. serving = 1/4 cup = 200 CALORIES!!!!!!! Yikes!! 200 calories for ~20 mini cartwheels...are you kidding me? So, I've actually been eating 200 calories over my daily allowance on days when I eat this pasta. After the box is gone I am done with the piccos!

Fun times. This kind of *brain fart* ever happen to anyone else?? And anyone know of a better pasta where I can eat more with not as many calories?

Thanks!

R2R

It's funny you mention this. I had the barilla whole wheat rigatoni tonight, got it all plated (1/2 cup like you said), and then I looked at the box... Aww crap. 2 OUNCES. lol. 1/4 cup is probably like 7 pieces of rigatoni. oops

Pasta is tricky.

Pastas are measured by OUNCE WEIGHT, not liquid ounces. So 2 ounces doesn't equal a quarter cup.

Different pastas measure differently dry, depending on shape, so if you don't have a food scale on which to measure out 2 oz of pasta by weight, you can always guesstimate based on the total weight of your pasta box (most boxes are 1 lb, therefore have 8 servings...if you're cooking 4 portions of pasta, that's about half a box).

ahhh, thank you Mandalinn!!!

How many of you have weight scales and how much do you use it? I've been toying with getting one, but my kitchen is sooo crowded and I don't want to overcomplicate things.

My scale was one of the BEST purchases I have made. Seriously, I couldn't have learned portion control or been nearly as successful without it.

There are many good scales out there for less than $20. Well worth it, in my opinion!

Some people hate the stuff, but I like to substitute shirataki noodles in place of pasta. The flavor isn't the quite same, but the basic consistency is. And a whole bag of shirataki noodles is 40 calories.

"When I sliced open a raw spaghetti squash for the first time, I thought, "How could this possibly end up like pasta?". But when cooked, the flesh of spaghetti squash can be pulled apart into thin strands that resemble spaghetti. It has a pleasantly crisp texture and a mild taste, making it a suitable substitution for almost any dish calling for noodles."

Good stuff!!!

A.

Some pastas will tell you approx. how much 2oz will measure out dry. For example some will say 2oz or approx. 3/4 of a cup (this was on the whole wheat "no egg" noodle bag.) This is always a dry measurement. 2 oz is usually quite a bit of pasta once cooked.

I agree that a scale is the way to go. Different pasta shapes will end up being different amounts for the same 2oz. I love kitchen my scale! I use it all the time.

Spaghetti squash is awesome! But squash is one of my all time favorite veggies.

Yes, I should definitely get a food scale! Thank you for the suggestions!!!

Food scales are awesome. I use mine many times every day.

As for pasta, I love the stuff but have learned to supplement my serving with lots of veggies. One of our fave dinners is 2 oz of pasta and tomato sauce, plus a serving of fake sausage crumbles and then a lot of briefly sauteed green and red peppers and mushrooms. It turns out to be a TON of food for 400-500 calories. I get my pasta in, but also lots of veg!

I second the shirataki noodles. if you follow the package directions to the tee and let them drain to dry for a long time, they are a wonderful vehicle for sauces and such

Heather posted what I was thinking. Bulk out your measured pasta serving with a ton of roasted, grilled or sauteed veggies: mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, carrots, spinach, yellow squash....mmmm....actually, who needs pasta when you have all of those yummy things!

Food scales saved my life! I had no clue what portion sizes where till I got mine and boy was I surprised how much I was overeating. No wonder I dieted for 6 months and only lost 4 lbs my first go at it. Pasta is a tricky one, you cannot not weigh it...you set yourself up for nasty surprises if you do.
Also, I prefer ww pasta, it definatly is more filling and sticks with me longer. the first time I tried it, the texture was off for me...but I got used to it and now I like it better then regular pasta.