Monday, January 2, 2012

protein packed pasta salad

one of my things i would like to continue doing this year, and well just in life in general is to start playing around with fun new recipes

like for example adding chocolate covered sunflower seeds to baked protein oatmeal and then pouring almond milk over it in a bowl.

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um what.

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working full time, working out, commuting 3+ hours every day, and just trying to stay badass leaves me always on the hunt for quick, easy, & protein packed one-scoop meals that are portable and fabulous to take on the run

i’ve had my eye on christina’s tuna pasta salad for quite some time now because 1. it looks delicious 2. it’s friggn easy to make and 3. it’s a scoop-and-go meal

um hello? what took me so long.

in all honesty ever since my weight loss journey, pasta has been on my ‘food fear’ list.

um why. who knows! maybe because prior to my weight loss pasta was my all inclusive go-to overloading addicting foods.

so naturally when i started loosing weight i just cut it out of my diet. well cutting it no more, the only thing i’ll be cutting this year besides my muscles is a rug on the dance floor.

so if you’re like me and you’ve cut out pasta from your diet, well fear not the pasta! it’s protein packed & a great source of complex carbs when you stick to the serving size

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so after gathering the necessary ingredients, i took a spin at christina’s and added in my own little flav.

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protein packed tuna pasta salad (makes 4-5 servings)

  • 1 cup whole wheat elbow noodles (dry)
  • 10 oz canned white tuna
  • 1 large green bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1 T greek yogurt
  • 2-3 T pickle relish
  • 1 T spicy dijon mustard
  • few splashes of Franks Red Hot

cook, drain & cool elbow noodles. using a large (think larger then you would normally) bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. store in a tupperware in your fridge until you consume it all!

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delicious.

the pickle relish & sweet hot mustard definitely gave an extra kick of flavor.

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makes for the perfect post workout quick & easy meal.

look at these stats for 1 cup of tuna pasta salad

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mixed it up with some broccoli slaw & top it off with a couple dollops of guacamole & you’re all set

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quick, easy, nutritious & delicious.

you can feel free to hug me or christina now

today’s workout: live fit trainer: day 50 arms, abs & cardio

35 minutes stairmaster intervals (5 minutes warmup, 30 minutes work) + weights

exercise set 1 set 2 set 3 set 4
narrow pushups: 4 sets 15 reps bodyweight bodyweight bodyweight bodyweight
seated tricep press: 4x8 25lb dumbbell 30lb dumbbell 30lb dumbbell 35lb dumbbell
superset:        
cable one-arm triceps extension: 3x8 20lbs 20lbs 20lbs 20lbs
one-arm reverse grip triceps pushdown: 3x8 20lbs 20lbs 20lbs 20lbs
superset:        
skull-crushers: 3x8 30lbs 30lbs 30lbs 30lbs
close-grip barbell bench press: 3x8 40lbs 40lbs 40lbs 40lbs
incline dumbbell curls: 4x8 30lbs (total) 40lbs 40lbs 40lbs
alternating dumbbell curls: 4x8 40lbs (total) 40lbs 40lbs 40lbs
barbell curl 21s: 2x21 30lbs 30lbs    
stability ball crunches: 3x25        
stability ball jackknifes: 3x15        
stability ball reverse crunches: 3x15        

time to run out and get some errands done!

back to the grind tomorrow, i don’t know how ever in the heck i’m going to be able to function at work tomorrow after a pretty sweet & relaxing 5 days off.

gah!

good things to come, good things to come.

love to love you <3

-julie

cawfee tawk! do/did you have ‘off limits’ foods that you’ve found ways to reincorporate into your diet?

Posted by Julie at 1:32 PM
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32 comments:

  1. I love you. Please come visit. We can eat chocolate-covered sunflower seeds.

    p.s. SO many good things to come. I'm getting goosebumps. #love

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  3. Julie, you workout consistently and constantly, whereas before you didn't. No need to limit or fear pasta. It's like eating any other starch (oatmeal, oatbran, brown rice etc). I used to be like that too, but I realized I have a 100% totally different lifestyle. I am extremely active now, so eating pasta doesn't do anything to me weight-wise. I also found that I recover faster (glycogen replenishment?), and sleep better. wishing you a wonderful amazing 2012!!! Ps- you are so ridiculously photogenic; it makes me sick! Do you ever not look absolutely perfect and stunning?!! xoxox

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  4. pleasejustgimmethattunapastasaladrightnowpppllleeaasseeeeeeeee

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  5. I wish I liked Tuna...bah! I just can't do it. But, the dish itself sounds awesome! Good stuff. Sigh- why do we have to go back to work tomorrow?

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  6. I love 21s for biceps!! Not to add to your fear, but my trainer told me something about pasta that might make you think twice! He says the human body isn't designed to digest pasta. You have to build up your tolerance to carbohydrates in general, by mostly sticking to sweet potatoes and the occasional serve of brown rice, all timed around your workout. As your body learns what to do with the extra energy (i.e. fuel your workouts) only then can you increase the amount of carbohydrates you're having. It takes at least 1-2 years of training to be able to use pasta as fuel. Lord knows I love my pasta, so I still have it - but very rarely, like once every 2-3 months.

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  7. Believe it or not, there was a time when I was afraid to eat peanut butter. I know. Crazy.
    BTW How amazing are those sunflower seeds?! I love them on top of banana fro-yo.

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  8. hmm i dont really have any foods that are offlimits...I dont like using that term because I am really open to anything...well for religious reasons I guess I will never have pig, ever. But thats a little different

    happy new year love! that pasta salad looks BANGIN!!! i love using tuna in different ways rather than just on salads etc xoxoxox

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  9. I see that you used TJ's pickle relish in your delicious tuna salad. Have you ever tried Wickle Pickles? They make pickles and a sweet relish, but they also add spice with chili peppers. You wouldn't need Frank's sauce with Wickles! They are so good...give 'em a try! Also, do you ever use Sriracha sauce...if you like Frank's, Sriracha would be your boo.

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  10. pastas/grains have always been on my list of 'just dont eat', and why!? Just as you said, good source of protein, fiber, and complex carbs when ate in moderation. I defiantly want to start incorporating things like quinoa and lentils into my diet this year.

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  11. That baked oatmeal is genius! Mmmm....
    I can't believe that you commute 3+ hours every day. I don't know how you do it! I have so much respect for you. AND you always manage to fit in a badass workout- so impressive!

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  12. I'm such a pasta lover and I'm glad you're including it in your life again! In portion-appropriate doses it can totally be part of a healthy diet!

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  13. sweet! i'll have to try this...but your nutrition stats say the serving size is 1/4 c. and the post says 1 c.? is it a typo?

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  14. I'm confused about the recipe. You said it's 4-5 servings, but it's only 1 cup of pasta so is a serving 1/4 cup? That seems like a small serving for one person. Or is it a typo?

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  15. hey guys! sorry that's the way I put it in the recipe calculator on livestrong. The serving size is 1 cup which is 1/4 of the recipe on livestrong. If you wanted it to be 5 servings it would be less calories. But 1/4 of the recipe is the calculated calories. Hope that helps!

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  16. Yay pasta! and KUDOS for eating "fear foods". If your on the pasta wagon, I suggest trying the new trader joes corn pasta. So good. I had some in chicken soup the other night.
    And please tell me you had more than 1/4 cup? I know its "scary" to eat pasta after shunning it for so long, but whats the point if your only going to have like tablespoons of pasta? I promise, it won't make you gain weight. pinky swear. I personally love bread as my carb of choice. I never was afraid of bread, I think I was just afraid of food in general. haha. Oh well, got over that...thank goodness.

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  17. Thanks for answering Julie! So a serving size is 1/4 cup? I'll have five servings.

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  18. Your protien packed tuna salad looks delicious, i'll have to make it tonight!

    www.soullesslady.blogspot.com

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  19. I'll have 10 ;)Just throw in the whole box of pasta or mine.

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  20. LOVE the protein stats! What a great recipe :)

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  21. Julie, I just started Jamie Eason's Live Fit program (day 2!) and I'm feeling like I shouldn't be drinking coffee (I usually drink it with a splash of half and half and 2 sugars, maybe a cup a day) but I noticed you drink coffee so how do you drink yours? I tried it yesterday with almond milk and a truvia and honestly I felt like I ruined the cup of jamaican coffee and ended up throwing most of it away! Thanks!

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  22. Hm, how come 1 cup serves 4-5 if the package says that a serving is 1/2 cup pasta? Wouldn't your recipe/serving be like, 100 kcal per person? Wow, I would never be full after such a tiny meal!

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  23. Hi Melinda! I would never go a day without coffee haha. Usually I drink it black with 3-4 stevia packets. Lately I've been using vanilla almond milk and using my steam free electric frother because it's so fun and addicting haha. And if I'm really feeling it I'll use trader joe's soy milk creamer. An extra 15 calories here and there won't hurt! Hope that helps!

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  24. Hi Anonymous! Please restate your comment in a way that makes actual sense, and if you address me in a way where I know who you are I would be able to answer your question better!

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  25. I don't have a blog, so that's the only way I can comment here. Hm, I don't know how else to state my comment, but I'll try:

    The package says 1/2 cup dry pasta is a serving (for one person). Your recipe is 1 cup dry pasta for 4-5 people, ie. 1/4 or 1/5 cup for one person. How come? That seems very little, because your whole recipe makes about 500 calories, so deviding by 4-5 that's like 100 calories per person? I would never be full after such a tiny meal!

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  26. Hi Anony! No problem, Yup the recipe for 4 servings is the calories including the tuna, greek yogurt and other ingredients then divided by 4. If it were to be 5 servings then it would be less calories, up to you! The 100 calories for 4 servings would just be for the pasta but that doesn't include the other ingredients. Hope that helps!

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  27. It makes me sad to think how much you workout and how much you restrict your food.

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  28. I agree with Rhyann. It's scary how much you restrict - Even 1/4 portion of the recipe - 222 calories - is HARDLY a meal at all!

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  29. Eating 200 calorie meals, EVEN IF you eat 7 a day, and working out like you do is a recipe for disaster. (200 * 7 = 1400 calories a day.) If nothing else, it's a dangerous example to set for others... a lot of people who read fitness blogs are people who are either prone to disordered eating or who have battled it in the past.

    I think you're a great girl but I'm really concerned.

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  30. Per our Twitter convo:
    I said I'd have five servings and you tweeted that would be 3/4 a cup. Here you said 1/4 a cup is a serving so I tweeted that no, that would only be three servings and forget it, just eat the whole cup.

    I think most people are concerned about this because 1 cup is the portion size for one person and you're dividing up one cup into four portions? Maybe we're all missing something here, it just doesn't seem very healthy.

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  31. you are muuuuch stronger than me! look at those biceps weights! go girl. that pasta salad looks legit. love the stats.

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  32. That relish is awesome! It's my mom's fave and I stole a spoon the other day.

    Gettin' busy in the kitch - I like it! Just double the elbow mac and nix the tuna for me : ) Haha, then I guess it wouldn't be "protein-packed" huh?

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