An Indulgent Pasta Bake with a Healthy Twist
Sunday Meal Prep | Week of April 6th
A couple of weeks ago, I posted this ground turkey, kale, and mushroom pasta bake on Instagram stories, and my DMs exploded like a pasta boil-over asking for the recipe. So, after much pleading from the masses (okay, maybe just a handful of you), I’m finally sharing it this week!
Baked ziti was always one of my favorite meals growing up, and I love bringing that nostalgic feeling back with a healthier approach. This pasta bake is high in protein, packed with veggies, and has a moderate amount of carbs that won’t leave you feeling sluggish. Plus, it tastes just as indulgent as I remember!
Here’s the trick: This pasta skillet uses only half a box of pasta—two servings—but it serves four. That means you’re having half a serving of pasta, which keeps things balanced! I love using a legume pasta here (like a lupuni, lentil, or chickpea option), which has fewer carbs, more fiber, and more protein than traditional pasta. I used Brami pasta, and a half serving of this particular brand has about 15 net grams of carbs, 6 grams of protein, and a good amount of fiber.
My favorite chicken Caesar pasta salad is also back on the menu this week! If you plan to make both the pasta salad and the pasta bake, here’s a tip: Cook a full box of pasta and use half for the salad and the rest for the bake. I like penne for the salad, but feel free to use whatever pasta shape you have on hand—penne works great for both!
Let me know if you try this. Tag me, share in Substack notes, send me pictures! I love seeing what you make :)
And in other exciting news, I made it into Vogue this week! Fashion + fiber—my two favorite things colliding. What a thrill. While a whole foods approach is the best way to increase fiber intake, I’m also a fan of Hilma’s Fiber + Digestive Enzymes for people with sensitive stomachs.
Here are a few meal prep-adjacent things I’m loving these days:
A groundbreaking study on prenatal nutrition
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I’ve been using Needed’s prenatal and Women’s Multi for years and am always impressed by their research-driven approach. Most recently, I switched to their Omega 3 after learning that 95% of women aren’t meeting their Omega 3 (especially EPA and DHA) requirements. Theirs contains 1000mg of both EPA and DHA, has no fishy aftertaste, and is Friend of the Sea Certified. It also earned the Clean Label Project Purity and Pesticide-Free Award. Use my code MIA20 for a discount on your first order.
Since I was in Vogue this week, lol, I thought it might be appropriate to share a few dresses that I am eyeing (all under $300).
I have two warm-weather weddings in May (Mexico and Hawaii, wahoo!) and am planning a European getaway for a big birthday I have coming up this summer 🙈. I am loving this butter yellow shift dress from Posse (a trendy spring color according to my fashion friends!), this casual stripped t-shirt dress (will wear all spring/summer for sure), and the RSVP dress also from SoldOut NYC (I got the black and cream, but someone get the red please!!!).
* Pair with lots of fiber so you can tap into your best digestive self on (here’s how to know if you’re getting enough).
Alright, friends, let’s cook!
My goodness, I’m absolutely loving the menu this week! No need to wait for this pasta bake—we’re having it tonight! Also on deck: the return of the popular tropical salmon bowl, chicken piccata, a fresh pasta salad, and a taco bowl.
