his Pasta Salad Has More Protein Than Most People's Breakfast

If you train with us at 5am, you already know the problem isn't willpower. It's Tuesday at 12:30pm when you've got four minutes for lunch and the only thing in the fridge is hot sauce and a protein shake you keep forgetting to drink.

That's the gap this recipe fills. I found it on 1st Phorm's site, written up by their dietitian Jenny Young, MS, RD, LDN, and it's built exactly for the meal-prep problem: 6 servings, 20 minutes of actual work, and it doesn't need to be reheated. You make it Sunday, you eat it cold or warm all week, done.

Macros per serving (recipe makes 6)

| Calories - 409 |

| Protein - 33g |

| Carbs - 36g |

| Fat - 16g |

| Fiber - 4g |

What's in it

- 1 box (8 oz) protein pasta, rotini

- 3/4 cup light Italian dressing

- 1/2 red onion

- 1 bell pepper

- 1 medium cucumber

- 1 package (8 oz) smoked deli ham

- 1 package (5 oz) turkey pepperoni

- 5 oz light Italian dry salami

- 1 cup shredded mozzarella

- 1/2 cup non-fat feta

- Fresh basil (optional)

How to make it

1. Boil the pasta according to the box, then drain and rinse it with cold water so it stops cooking.

2. While that's going, cube the veggies and the meat small enough to mix through evenly.

3. Dump everything into a bowl, toss with the dressing, garnish with basil if you're using it.

4. Eat it warm the day you make it or cold out of the fridge the rest of the week.

The part I'd add as your coach

This is a good recipe, not a free pass. Three cured meats and 3/4 cup of dressing means the sodium adds up fast — if you're watching blood pressure or just feeling puffy, cut the dressing to 1/2 cup and lean harder on the veggies. And protein pasta brands vary a lot in fiber and carb count, so check the box you actually buy against the macros above; they're calculated on the specific pasta Jenny used, not all protein pasta.

If you're using this for meal prep, portion it into 6 containers the second it's mixed. Left in one big bowl, it's too easy to eat "a little more" three times before Wednesday.

Full credit for the recipe and macros to Jenny Young, MS, RD, LDN, and the team at 1st Phorm — you can find the original recipe here.

Want help figuring out where a meal like this fits into your week, or what your actual protein target should be? Book a No Sweat Introand we'll build the plan around your schedule, not a generic one.

Want more recipes like this dropped straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter here.

— Mike