In short, it’s one of my favourite time of the year.
I don’t know if it’s just me but everyone seems to be happier this time of the year than any other. It’s not just me right? Surely you can feel it too. I honestly think it’s cause of the holiday season and the fact that most of us are usually on leave. Yes people, please go on leave often 😀
One thing I noticed as a nutrition coach is that most of you complain of weight gain around this time of the year too. Can I just say this — Why wouldn’t your weight go up – look at the festivities around you!
So… if you’re facing any sort of weight gain right now, trust me, it’s just temporary. My advice? Don’t step on the scale, silly. If you’re having more celebrations, eating out, etc. etc., your weight will definitely be higher than normal. So please don’t weigh yourself now. Don’t put yourself in that shoe please.
Enjoy the company of your friends, colleagues, family, and try as much as you can to plan out your meals… and sticking to what you normally prep and eat healthily whenever you can!
Anyway. To celebrate the end of the year and also Christmas… I came out with a pasta dish that is delicious, super heartwarming and crazy comforting — you’ll probably even consider making these at other times of the year.
Sticking to my Asian roots, I obviously made this a tad bit Asian with my cili padis and panko breadcrumbs but you don’t have to. The dish is awesome without the spice (although I highly recommend the breadcrumbs because the crunchiness is from there!).
That said, this meal prep is higher in carbohydrates (pasta+breadcrumbs+tomato paste) than most of my recipes but a little more carbs every now and then doesn’t hurt (and can actually be good for you and your sanity!). But please eat according to your needs and goals!
I’ve also used an excellent oily fish aka sardines which is totes rich in your heart and brain healthy omegas so win!
Alrighty! Grab your recipe book, pen this down, get the ingredients, and get preppin’. Don’t forget to tell me how it is either on the comments section below, on YouTube, or on Instagram at @asianmealprep. Would love to see your creations!
3-Meal Xmas Special Prep: Crunchy Sardine Pasta
Makes – 3 meals
Time needed – 30 minutes
Cost – ~S$4.00 per serve
Here’s what you need:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, separated into 2
- 50g panko bread crumbs
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2-3 cili padi, chopped (optional)
- 1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped
- 1 can (425g) sardines in tomato sauce, drained and separated from its sauce
- 1 can (400g) tomato paste
- 100g spinach
- 240g cooked wholemeal fusilli (approx 100g dry)
- 400ml water, divided into 3 batches
- A handful of parsley, chopped
- 20g grated parmesan cheese
Here’s how you do it:
- Begin by boiling water in a saucepan and cook the pasta as per package instructions. I used a touch of olive oil while boiling pasta. Remove from heat and set aside once cooked.
- While cooking the pasta, heat non-stick pan with half the olive oil. Add in breadcrumbs and stir until they turn golden.
- Add garlic, and mix it in with the golden panko. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat another non-stick pan with the remainder of the olive oil. Add in rosemary sprigs, cili padi and sardines and stir fry, gently breaking up the sardines.
- Add the tomato paste, mix, add in about 200ml of water, and then add spinach. Mix until spinach is slightly wilted and then add in remaining water, stirring after.
- Let it simmer covered in low heat for 10 minutes.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce, stir it in, and then remove from heat once it’s well coated.
- Build your meals – I made three meals in this and garnish with loads of parsley and the panko breadcrumbs.
- Enjoy!
How much this costs:
*Keep in mind that this numbers are a rough guide. It depends on where you buy it and when. You can definitely save more money if you purchase in wet markets etc. At the end of the day it’s possible to eat healthy without breaking the bank. Also, ~ denotes the items that should already be in your pantry for a long time or it’s a very small amount.
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – $0.20
- 50g panko bread crumbs – $1.00
- 3 cloves garlic – ~
- 1 sprig rosemary – $0.20
- 2-3 cili padi – ~
- 1 can sardines – $3.60
- 1 can tomato paste – $1.60
- 100g spinach – $3.60
- 240g cooked wholemeal fusilli – $0.60
- A handful of parsley, chopped – ~
- 20g grated parmesan cheese – $1.00
Total price = ~S$12.00
Price per serve = ~ S$4.00
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information below is based on the ingredients I’ve used above. It may not be an accurate representation of your meal.
Calories 480 Protein 23.1g Carbs 41.1g Sugar 10.5g Fibre 7.2g Fats 21.3g Saturated Fats 7.2g
