Adoteca in Brentwood serves pasta for weight loss

BRENTWOOD (KABC) -- Eat pasta, lose weight? Well, now, there's a new concept!

Chef Toni Mure serves what he calls "power pasta" at his Adoteca restaurant in Brentwood, where competition is fierce. The city is known as "Little Italy" and is home to 13 Italian restaurants.

"So it's fun. Have a nice bowl of pasta, lose weight, and feel healthy," Mure said.

Mure normally makes his own pasta but because of the way this particular pasta is crafted, he is willing to add it to the menu.

"So you can eat and lose weight, and it's very healthy for your system," Mure said.

Known in Italy as the Italian Cleansing Diet Pasta, the product made by Tisanoreica uses plant proteins and extracts.

The end result is scant fat and sodium, with no cholesterol or sugar, yet plenty of two things dieters look for: Protein and fiber.

A 2-ounce serving has 7 grams of fiber and 33 grams of protein -- as much as, or even more than, a serving of steak.

The protein comes from egg, wheat, pea and soy, along with artichoke. Even papaya is in the mix.

Protein provides satiety and fiber, which helps keep you feeling fuller, longer. That is a win-win for dieters.

Of course, often, it's not the pasta, but what you put on it that does in your diet. So, Mure makes his simply.

"There's 2 ounces of pasta with sun-dried and plenty of drop tomato. They're very nice and sweet. Fresh basil, a little bit of garlic and good olive oil. That's very simple," Mure said.

Two ounces is a petite portion but the 7 grams of fiber per serving helps to satisfy.

If you are wondering just how well this pasta pares down pounds, ask Carol Tan of Culver City.

"I've been steadily going down, and I've actually, since February, lost 15 pounds," Tan said.

She has the Adoteca pasta at least once a week, which appears to be a recipe for success.

Although, at $26 a plate, the pasta has also slimmed Tan's wallet.

If you can't get to Brentwood but want to give it a go, Tisanoreica is sold online for $17.50 a bag.

Clearly, skinny has a price.