Husband wants to cook pasta for guests page 4

[Puddleglumish]

I plumped for the 4th option but having read the situation properly, I wish I hadn't. New vote is for avoiding the pasta and go for something else instead.

[Louisa655]

Every time I think 'Well maybe I'll be really ill afterwards and he'll notice that it's bad for me', but he doesn't, and to be fair I'm not always really ill afterwards – there isn't a clear correlation. So maybe I am making a fuss over nothing.

I'm just a wimp.

You are not a wimp --- sounds as though you passed that line a long time ago....you are now approaching martyrdom. In all seriousness, it's exhausting being around people who think you are a mind reader. Your husband is not a mind reader. He likely has NO IDEA how you are feeling because you have not been up front with him. Rather, you have posted this situation for all the world to weigh in on. You are Paleo and your Sunday dinner consists of pasta and pizza? Hope you are drinking lots of red wine. Seriously, why would you serve guests food that you yourself would not eat. It's not as though you can discuss the details of grains being toxic and sugar leading to cancer --- after you've served a meal that contains all that. Why not donate the flour to a nearby shelter and get on with being primal. In addition, consider hosting a "Sunday night dinner club" where guests bring their signature dish. Keeps the cost down for you, while you continue enjoying friends and Sunday night dinners. COMMUNICATE with your husband otherwise the resentments are going to build and one day, burst.

[Louisa655]

I can appreciate where your husband is coming from now that you explained that he's making the pasta with such good ingredients. I'm a former chef and I was known for my wild yeast sourdough. It was a demarcation and a sign of my commitment to primal eating when I dumped my sourdough. He enjoys the kudos he will certainly receive from his pasta dinner and he doesn't want to waste the flour. We too had a 25# of organic flour when we made the commitment. We've sealed the flour in 5# bags and are keeping them for emergencies.

I think you should talk to him and say you'd like this to be a last hurrah to pasta and pastries. You can decide for yourself whether you want to eat it or not. He needs to get a little more understanding about the destructive nature of wheat, maybe read Wheat Belly. And then the 2 of you can do some research and find some tasty primal recipes for your next dinner party.
Recently I made lasagna with butternut squash instead of pasta and it was delicious. I really think he should look at designing
a primal dinner as a fun challenge not a limitation. I've come up with so many tasty recipes I honestly doubt that any one would realize that they were eating a primal dinner, they would just be so happy to eat such a tasty meal.

+++1 to your comments. My son is a chef, and I've made home made pasta for years. Heck, I'm Italian and my body is half pasta! However, since starting primal 4 months ago, I haven't had so much as a small noodle --- I'm committed to a healthier lifestyle and I feel wonderful being primal. I won't go back to pasta, but will admit that the odd night, I dream about al dente angel hair with a plum tomato sauce, with fresh basil essence. Hmmmmm...bring on the romano cheese --- and then I wake up, make a bullet coffee and get on with my day! OOooo Raw!

[solstice]

I would say premake some veggies (day before or so) and reheat and toss those in your bowl with sauce...will there be meatballs too...that can help add to your dinner! Good luck! Otherwise take on more cooking so you can have the control in the kitchen!

[solstice]

Also...I think a home roasted chicken dinner is WAY more appetizing than pasta.

[orielwen]

Thanks Urban Forager, your 'last hurrah' suggestion turned out to be the way to go. I have eaten some of his pasta, and a pastry, but we had a chat about it and starting tomorrow we're eliminating the wheat/gluten altogether from at least my diet (and therefore, in practice, mostly from his as well, since we eat together and eat the same stuff) and watching to see how I improve. (I also suggested the upcoming church fair as an outlet for his pastry-making urges, an idea which he rather liked. I agree that it's slightly hypocritical to make these things for other people when we think they're so bad for us, but if they're going to eat them anyway we might as well provide good home-made versions for them.)

I'll see if Wheat Belly is in the local library – I've been meaning to read it anyway. He does make good nommy primal food – including a delicious lasagna with aubergine in place of pasta, and little aubergine mini-pizzas – he just lacks the courage to serve guests a non-standard meal. (I didn't help matters recently by attempting the chocolate cake from here which turned out to be quite disgusting – I'm not sure what I did wrong, but it's put him off trying to make primal treats in particular. I'll try something else at some point and hopefully he'll get over it.)

And I agree, roast chicken is way better than pasta, even home-made fresh egg pasta.