The next time you have a craving for pasta, but think you can’t have it because it is so high-carb, consider these recipe tricks.

Use green beans — also known as string beans or snap beans — in place of part of the pasta. Use veggies in place of part or all of the meat. You can feel good about this meal.

Chef Deb’s Veggi-ghetti

Prepare half a box of wholegrain or multi-grain spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.

Mix drained spaghetti with an equal volume of cooked frozen or canned French-style green beans (aka string beans).

Heat 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce, adding a cup of canned mushrooms, a cup of chopped olives, and 1 large tomato, chopped.

Serve the sauce over the pasta-bean mixture.