Written by Jennifer Lawinski for CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
There's nothing on this earth that's more delicious than the spaghetti carbonara at Mario Battali's Otto pizzeria, in New York City. It's the most succulent, decadent food I've ever eaten. A lovely little plate of creamy, carb-y goodness with a little pancetta. But if global warming continues its march, wheat may become a precious commodity, and could disappear altogether if things get bad enough. And that could mean the end of pasta (among so many other foods) since the beloved dinner staple is made from wheat.
So what are we going to eat instead in a world without pasta? Or bread? OR pasta and cheesy, garlicky bread at the same time? (I might be hungry...) What can you feed the family when there is no more mac-and-cheese or lasagna?
Have no fear: a world without wheat can be perfectly delicious! And you don't have to go all paleo or Atkins just because there's no more pasta or French toast. What can you try?
1. Roast a Chicken! Yup! It's the very simplest of things and always makes you look like a gourmet chef. And when you do it right, with fall-off-the-bone juicy chicken and a handful of sides like mashed potatoes and green beans, you've got a meal sure to warm up a chilly winter night as hearty as any spaghetti bolognese.
2. Pork Chops are the best! Pork chops can be a delicious dinner for one (my go-to meal when I find myself dining alone) or they can be cooked for as many people as you've got chops. And brown sugar pork chops are to die for. Serve those with some mashed sweet potatoes or something green and reap the rewards.
3. Have breakfast for dinner! Not all meals have to include meat, and a crustless cheese and asparagus quiche can make for a healthy, vegetarian main dish for dinner. (When I was an exchange student in France, we had scrambled eggs for dinner all the time. It was egg-cellent. Heh.)
4. Spaghetti squash to the rescue! If you just can't get past your cravings for spaghetti, roasting a spaghetti squash can be a healthy stand-in for pasta. I've used it in place of pasta with pesto and veggies and with a hearty meat sauce. It tastes just as good, and doesn't leave you in a carb coma.
What would you do for dinner in a world without pasta?
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