Rebuild from Depression Blog

I expect I am about to disappoint the entire celiac community with this review of quinoa pasta. People with Celiac's Disease or wheat/gluten allergies cannot eat gluten and stay on the hunt for gluten-free replacements like these. The products on the left is corn and quinoa (wheat free)and come in a variety of shapes and sizes - spaghetti, angel hair, cork screws, and shells. I understand that a lot of wheat-free people like these products and, as a result, they are worth a try. I was disappointed, however. I found myself disappointed in the quinoa/kamut product as well.

First, I did not care for the texture. There seems to be a fine line between not cooked and overcooked. If there is a middle ground, it is elusive. (Whole wheat has this problem too.) I do not care for undercooked pasta nor do I care for overcooked pasta which made these products a bad match for me.

Second, I was attracted in the first place because of "quinoa" on the label. Quinoa is a fantastic nutrient-dense grain. It is a high-iron food choice for people seeking iron in plant-based foods. However, the label provides no information about how much quinoa there is in the pasta in relation to the corn or kamut. The nutritional content on the label is not any more of a standout than any other whole grain pasta, so the mineral content would not be reason to choose this pasta over another.

Since I am actually wheat sensitive, I have just come to accept life without pasta. A lasagna-like dish can be achieved with summer squash instead of lasagna noodles. Spaghetti squash is actually far better than actual spaghetti in my opinion and it increases the vegetables in my diet. On occasion I miss macaroni and cheese but I tend to get over it.

So I am going to pass on the gluten-free pastas. There is apparently a good reason that manufacturers use refined wheat. Of course I'll pass on the refined wheat too.

Try the pasta anyway and then you will know for yourself. It may be for you. It does have a fan base, just not here in California Hot Springs.