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Using Spelt Pasta (Plus a recipe and $500 Giveaway!)

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vitaspelt

This contest is closed and the winners have been selected. Congrats to…

Jenn W.! She said, “I never knew exactly what spelt was until now! My husband isn’t a fan of the whole wheat pasta (or baking I do with whole wheat). I’m going to have to try finding some and see if he can tell the difference!”

Angela L.! She said, “Looking for an alternative to wheat flour and wheat flour products. So excited to try spelt flour!!”

Jennifer G.! She said, “I am interested because of the nutritional value of the spelt flour, this is an awesome giveaway.”

Lori S.! She said, “I would love to try this pasta because I want something healthier for me than white pasta, but I don’t love the taste of whole wheat pasta. This is probably a nice compromise!”

Monica F.! She said she “Would love to try a new kind of pasta.”

Colleen W.! She said, “I believe in trying spelt products because it is a very ancient grain which was grown before wheat was hybridized and tinkered with by humans. Spelt dates back to the very beginning of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent region. Some people who cannot tolerate wheat can eat spelt instead. Plus spelt is Yum-O!”

Lucy P.! She said, “I would love to introduce a new whole grain into my family’s diet.”

Sue C.! She said, “I use spelt flour and I love it!”

Amy C.! She said, “It was mentioned that steering clear of wheat may help my son with his ear infections. We would love to try spelt pasta!”

Jennifer R.! She said, “I just found out my sister is gluten intolerant so your newsletter was perfect timing! Looking forward to trying spelt.”

Thanks to one of our sponsors, Nature’s Legacy, I recently discovered how much I like spelt! The spelt grain is part of the wheat family and available in both whole and white form (just like wheat). Spelt is more mild than wheat though and in my opinion, especially when it’s used in baked goods, the outcome is lighter and more cake like – yes, please! I first tried spelt flour in a whole grain pumpkin muffin recipe last year, and I am not going to lie…the texture is just divine, and this recipe still remains one of our favorites. And spelt products go beyond just flour, so be sure look for whole-spelt pasta as well and try some using the pasta recipe below.

If you are new to cooking with spelt (like I was not too long ago!) here are some helpful facts…

  • Spelt is a true non-hybrid grain, it has not been hybridized or chemically altered by man (spelt is a natural cross between Emmer wheat and Goats grass).
  • Spelt has a deliciously light, nutty flavor and has been grown and eaten around the world for thousands of years.
  • Spelt flour can be easily substituted for wheat flour in baked goods.
  • The gluten in spelt breaks down in warm water and mixing (which makes it easier to digest) while the gluten in modern wheats is broken down only in acid and alcohol. It can be used by people with wheat intolerance, IBS or other inflammatory problems; but for best results suspend eating modern day wheat for at least 3 weeks to be able to recognize a difference.
  • Spelt contains all eight essential amino acids, is about 60 percent higher in protein than common wheat, and contains B viatamins, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and fiber. Be sure to always choose whole-grain spelt.

Today we are giving away some spelt products and also sharing a fun spelt pasta recipe (at the bottom of the post). Enjoy!

Giveaway Details

9 WINNERS each received:

  • A mixed case of Nature’s Legacy Whole Grain Organic Spelt Pasta (a $35.98 value per box)

1 GRAND PRIZE winner received: 

  •  A mixed case of Nature’s Legacy Whole Grain Organic Spelt Pasta (a $35.98 value per box)
  • $150 to purchase groceries to go along with the 100% Whole Spelt Pasta!

More about Nature’s Legacy For Life…

Since 1979, Purity Foods (the creators of Nature’s Legacy and VitaSpelt) has been a worldwide supplier of certified organic food products. Their organic flour mill is one of the largest in the industry and they provide all natural organic spelt products without any additives, preservatives or artificial ingredients. Find out more about spelt and the health benefits associated with it. To find Nature’s Legacy foods at a store near you, check out their store locator on their website.

Recipe Using Spelt Pasta

Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce commonly used there as a marinade and sauce for grilled meat. It is similar to pesto and a great use for extra herbs from your garden or the farmers’ market. It is light and zesty and therefore perfect to enjoy in the summertime. This versatile pasta could be used as a side dish next to grilled meat, or as a main dish along with some fresh vegetables or meats mixed into the pasta. There are two ways to prepare the chimichurri sauce, with everything chopped up and mixed together (much like a salsa) or by pureeing everything in a food processor. It is fun to experiment and try both techniques.

Chimi Pasta with Herbs

 

Chimichurri Spelt Pasta
4.73 from 18 votes

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian

Active Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Author: Lisa Leake
Recipe courtesy of Nature's Legacy

Print

Using Spelt Pasta (Plus a recipe and $500 Giveaway!) 1

Ingredients

  • 1 box spelt pasta, VitaSpelt or Nature's Legacy Whole Spelt Pasta
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt, kosher, plus more to taste
  • 1 head garlic, minced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, more if you like more heat
  • 1 bunch cilantro, stems removed and chopped
  • 1 bunch parsley, stems removed and chopped
  • 1 bunch oregano, stems removed and chopped
  • 3/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin
  • pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook whole spelt pasta according to package directions. VitaSpelt Whole Spelt Spaghetti will cook in about 5 minutes.
  2. Toss cooked pasta with about 1/2 cup chimichurri sauce. Extra sauce makes a great marinade, sandwich spread, salad dressing, or salsa.

Chimichurri Sauce

  1. Combine red wine vinegar, 1 tsp. salt, minced garlic, finely diced red onion, and chili flakes in a medium bowl and let stand for 5-10 minutes. 

  2. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and oregano. 

  3. Slowly stir in oil with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Alternate Chimichurri Instructions: Remove stems from fresh herbs. Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.

 

The contest is now closed.

 

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About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Gill

    July 8, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    I love eating pasta and would certainly savor a pasta that is healthy, nourishing, and tasty.

    I have subscribed to the newsletter.

    Thank you for offering this giveaway to your blog readers.

    Reply

  12. diana v

    July 8, 2013 at 8:03 pm

    I love to bake with whole wheat flour. I’ve never thought to try spelt. I only use whole wheat pasta, so trying spelt sounds pretty exciting to me. bring on the spelt….

    Reply

  19. Nicole D

    July 8, 2013 at 8:46 pm

    I would love to try this, can’t believe I’m just now finding out it is as easy to use as wheat flour in recipes and that it tastes great.

    Reply

  20. Allyson H

    July 8, 2013 at 8:50 pm

    I recently discovered spelt tortillas and love them. But I have never seen other spelt products! Spelt pasta would be wonderful; my family would love to give it a try.

    Reply

  23. Heather Bee

    July 8, 2013 at 8:54 pm

    The more our family eats “real foods”, the happier we are! I have been hearing more about spelt and am eager to try it. The less dependent we can be on one grain, the better for all. Plus I’m very intrigued by the “nutty” taste description! Thank you for the drawing!

    Reply

  25. Brooke E. Cockson

    July 8, 2013 at 9:04 pm

    I would love a healthy alternative to white pasta for my husband and daughter to enjoy! Wondering if spelt could be the magic grain! I love it myself!!

    Reply

  30. Carrie

    July 8, 2013 at 9:21 pm

    I love trying all of these recipes and meal ideas and have been excited to see how much my family loves it, too. I have never cooked spelt pasta and am looking forward to once again trying something new. :)

    Reply

  34. Tammi Neuscheler

    July 8, 2013 at 9:39 pm

    I’m interested in all things real and love an opportunity to try something new and healthy for me and my family.

    Reply

  45. Angela

    July 8, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    I am interested in trying whole-spelt pasta because I enjoy spelt bread and am making positive health changes for my family.

    Reply

  48. Heather

    July 8, 2013 at 10:25 pm

    I am new to the world of real foods and love the opportunity for more options…especially for certain family members not sold on whole grain pasta. Plus, it will be fun to share and tell everyone else about it. :)

    Reply

  49. Karin M

    July 8, 2013 at 10:27 pm

    I have been taking the challenge to prepare healthier foods for my family. I would love to try the whole-spelt pasta in some of my family’s recipes.

    Reply

  53. julie anthony

    July 8, 2013 at 10:58 pm

    I have heard that spelt pasta is a good alternative to regular pasta. I would love tot try and switch my children to a tasty pasta that is healthier for them. Thank you!!

    Reply

  60. Darcy Donahue

    July 8, 2013 at 11:22 pm

    I like spelt flour and would like to broaden my horizons to spelt pasta. I also like that spelt gas not been engineered or altered by man, yet.

    Reply

  63. Dani

    July 8, 2013 at 11:28 pm

    We have been toying with eating less and less processed foods in our family and are ready to truly take the plunge.

    Reply

  68. Ashley Hamm

    July 9, 2013 at 12:04 am

    I am very curious to try this pasta as I am also a new mom to real foods but honestly at first it wasn’t by choice! My exclusively breastfed son developed a list of food allergies at around a month old and little did I know what all I was eating until I had to start reading labels on everything! It really does scare me how many bad things are put into your everyday foods and also makes me wonder how we survived childhood ourselves! He has dairy/soy/corn/peanut/treenut/egg/strawberry and pineapple intolerances but thankfully he does fine with wheat! Now that we buy nothing but health foods I am wondering how much better this product would be for him rather than the plain wheat pasta I buy for him at the store.

    Reply

  72. Suzanne Casey

    July 9, 2013 at 12:36 am

    I am making an effort to eat an alkaline forming diet, and have read that spelt flour is good for this.

    Reply

  76. Belinda

    July 9, 2013 at 3:56 am

    I LOVE spelt! I try to get spelt any chance I can! I love that it is high protein and rich in vitamins and minerals as well as full of aminos and a non-tampered grain…done and DONE! When I can find spelt flour I stock up, it makes the silkiest breads ever! It’s definately one of my top go-to ancient grains.

    Reply

  77. Debbie

    July 9, 2013 at 6:43 am

    I’m a mother of 4 who would like to see if replacing wheat with spelt would help my family, especially as far as allergies/asthma.

    Reply

  78. Jen

    July 9, 2013 at 8:04 am

    Since the newsletter came out on the day the contest ends, I am supposing no one won the prize, because both parties that signed up didn’t beat the deadline. If the deadline is extended, then both parties above me win by default, because they were the only 2 that entered :)
    As for making a deadline time for a major prize such as this, it would be helpful to place the time zone, because as Suzanne said, she got in on time, if Central time zone is considered :)

    Reply

  79. Christy

    July 9, 2013 at 8:19 am

    My son was just diagnosed with fpies a diagnosis which has hastened and deepened our desire and extent of whole foods.

    Reply

  81. Jessica F

    July 9, 2013 at 9:47 am

    I am trying to eat better and in the process getting the kids to eat REAL food. Since they looooove pasta, this would be a heaven sent solution. Thanks!!!

    Reply

  83. Anna F

    July 9, 2013 at 12:03 pm

    I love finding new healthy things to feed my family. I giving them healthy choices, instead of junk good, which is what I consider regular pasta.

    Reply

  86. Theresa Cruz

    July 9, 2013 at 12:23 pm

    My husband and I did a complete diet overhaul last fall when I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis. Since the change we have felt so much better. I’m still learning about “new” real foods to try. I have never had spelt pasta. Would love to start incorporating it into our diet!

    Reply

  98. John

    July 16, 2013 at 3:47 pm

    Starting your own garden and growing a variety of colorful, amazing vegetables and flowers is simply the best way to start enjoying your outdoor space. Very few people experience it and it’s time to change that. Here’s how we’re going to do it: http://www.earthstarter.com

    Reply

  100. Amy

    October 10, 2013 at 12:17 pm

    I love the hearty texture & earthy flavor of Spelt Pasta & have tried only the VitaSpelt brand for the last 6 years.

    I find its flavor really enhances tomato based sauces but is good in any pasta dish.

    Just sad I missed out on the giveaway!

    Reply

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