Pastas and Sauces with More Iron
Pasta and sauces can be perfect ways to sneak in all sorts of goodness. I like to add ingredients that will make it extra nourishing. Pasta can boost our well-being when we choose the right kind.
I am not giving medical advice. You should talk with a health professional if you have any concerns. I suggest looking for a plant-based dietician or nutritionist. However, I have developed an understanding of what works for me. These ideas could hopefully be helpful.
This article may include affiliated links and advertisements. However, all the suggestions are genuine.
Hummus and wholemeal pasta spirals (MSW / RDL)
Wholemeal Pasta
According to Nutrition Australia, a cup of wholemeal cooked pasta has 2.3 mg of iron. That is more than classics like cashews and spinach.
Green or Brown Lentils
You can make a whole-food plant-based version of mince or bolognese with green or lentils. These can either come in a can or dry. When you cook dry lentils, you should rinse them and then allow the little legumes to boil until soft.
Tofu and Cashews
I am grouping these together because you could use both as part of a creamy sauce. In future articles, I may explore ways to make plant-based creamy sauces from scratch. Tofu goes with almost anything.
Broccoli, Spinach and Dark Leafy Greens
Add these green foods to give your meal goodness and colour. You can finely chop kale and then add it to the boiling pasta when there are just a few minutes left. However, when you save pasta water that will be included in the pasta sauce, that should happen before you put the kale in the pot. Try grating broccoli so it mixes through.
Tempeh
You can crumble tempeh into sauces for a ‘meaty’ feel. It suits a tomato-based sauce pretty well. Tempeh is a fermented soy product found in the supermarket near tofu.
Hummus as a sauce
Traditional chickpea hummus makes for a delicious creamy sauce when stirred through pasta. Try adding some of the salty water the pasta boiled to get a runny sauce. I like to squeeze an extra lemon into the dish.
Textured Vegetable Protein
TVP is easy to use and relatively affordable compared to the heavily marketed mock meats. It can mix into most types of pasta sauce, creamy or tomato-based.
