Please forget the rubbish you’ve heard about pasta being a no no for fat loss.
You absolutely CAN include pasta in your diet (and any other food you love, for that matter).
The trick is portion control and ensuring your meal is still balanced – with plenty of protein and veggies.
Remember our guide to building a balanced meal: half a plate of veg, a palm size portion of protein, a fist size portion of carbs and a thumb of healthy fats.
Our pasta dish fits the bill!
This one’s quick and easy to throw together on a week night.
We used a higher protein pasta to up the protein content of the meal (remember, protein and fibre helps you feel satisfied and fuller for longer).
Ingredients (to serve 2)
150g (dry weight) Vetta Smart High Protein Penne (or any penne will work)
40g pesto (we used Barilla)
200g chicken breast, cubed
100g broccoli
200g mushrooms
100g spinach
Method
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, cook chicken in a frypan over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside.
- Add broccoli, mushrooms and spinach to the pan. Saute, stirring, until broccoli for a few minutes.
- Return chicken to pan with mushrooms and add pesto.
- Drain pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Add pasta and cooking water to pan and toss to combine, allowing sauce to reduce.
- Serve sprinkled with parmesan.