Are you getting the most nutritional bang for your points?

One of the great things that I love about WW is that you can have your cake and eat it too. This is great for those instances when we have a party to go or if there is a special occasion. However, what nutritional value is there in a slice a cake? Like most commercial cakes out there, probably not much but a bunch of sugar. Which leads me to ask -are you getting the most nutritional bang for your points?

This got me thinking the other day. Lately, I've been bringing a sandwhich made with deli meat and whole wheat bread for a total of 5WW points. Yes, my sandwhich did fill me up, but WW is not just about being full. Although my sandwhich tasted great, did I really get any nutritional value out of it? At most, 4 grams of fiber and some protein, but that's about it. So, I thought, if I'm giving myself 5 points for lunch, I'm sure I can come up with just a filling lunch but much more nutrient dense for 5 points. That's exactly what I did last night and had a wonderful lunch today!

Last night, I came up with a Whole Wheat Pasta Medley. This wonderful meal consisted of whole wheat pasta, broccoli, bell pepper, garlic and grape tomatoes, all for 5WW points! In this one meal, I was able to get my fiber, vitamin C and lycopene. Yes, a totally filling meal, with a big nutritional bang.

I hope you enjoy my recipe for my Whole Wheat Pasta Medley. Next time you are eating something, really ask yourself, does this have any nutrition benefit for me?...

Ingredients:

• 13oz. of whole wheat rotini pasta, cooked
• 1TB. of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 head of broccoli florets
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes
• 1TB. of fresh oregano
• 2TB. of balsamic vinegar
• Salt/pepper to taste
• Shredded pecorino romano, to top

Preparation:

In a large sauté pan, add the olive oil and place on medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic slices, bell pepper and broccoli. Let the vegetables brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, oregano, balsamic vinegar and stir for about a minute. Add the pasta and toss. Top with the Pecorino Romano cheese.

Servings: 7

This recipe and article is also posted on TheAjnabee.com!