Pass on the Pasta
Experiment with different brands as you get used to replacing semolina pasta with whole-grain pasta. Another way to ramp up the healthfulness of your pasta dish is to choose a healthy sauce. Marinara is usually a great option, but if you like the higher-fat options of alfredo and pesto, then there are ways to enjoy them in moderation. Add plenty of steamed veggies - which you can throw in to the boiling pasta toward the end of its cooking cycle - to "cut" the sauce. When adding pesto, you can add a few tablespoons of pasta water to dilute the fat - although much of pesto's fat is derived from olive oil, a healthy fat.