I'm 4th week into my most recent meal prep journey..

2100 calories, 152g protein, 193g carbs, 79g fat per day for 4 days. I do 4 days because there's always something - lunch meeting, dinner w friends, etc that have 1 or 2 of those things, I'm good until Friday lunch-ish. Some people also asked why 2,100 - it gives me flexibility to have those lunches/dinners without too much restriction. I know generally what to order for lower calorie/higher protein food, and having a couple of dishes that are 400-500 calories over (so 1000 calories over) what these are, I'd only average ~200-300 calories more per day. It's not the end of the world for me.

Posting video in reply (i can't seem to attach it here)

This week's lineup:
• Loaded sweet potato with spiced beef and beans
• Creamy gochujang gnocchi with ground beef
• Bulgogi rice bowl
• Protein coffee cake with monk fruit (snack)
• Strawberry protein mousse (dessert)

** I had the protein coffee cake with monk fruit after lunch today... I personally wouldn't make it again so proceed with caution if you're making it haha

recipes ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

Loaded sweet potato with spiced beef and beans

Makes 4 servings

693 kcal · 40g protein · 66g carbs · 31g fat per serving

🛒 Ingredients

• 160g black beans, tinned, drained
• 1 chilli powder, to taste
• 40g mature cheddar, grated
• 1 cumin, to taste
• 800g sweet potatoes
• 600g beef mince (5% fat), 5% fat
• 100g avocado
• 1 (~0g) salt, to taste
• 1 (~0g) black pepper, to taste
• 1 smoked paprika, to taste
• 160g sweetcorn, tinned, drained </aside>

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (360°F). Allow about 10 minutes for it to come to temperature.
2. Place the sweet potatoes in an oven-safe dish and bake at 180°C (360°F) for approximately 50 minutes, until completely soft when pierced with a skewer or knife.
3. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned all over. This takes around 8–10 minutes.
4. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, and chilli powder to the browned beef and stir to coat. Add the drained sweetcorn and black beans. Season with salt and pepper, stir everything together, and cook for a further 1 minute until warmed through.
5. Once the sweet potatoes are baked, slice each one open lengthways. Spoon the spiced beef mixture evenly over each potato. Top with the avocado and grated cheddar, then portion into meal-prep containers.

Creamy gochujang gnocchi with ground beef

Makes 4 servings

556 kcal · 33g protein · 49g carbs · 25g fat per serving

🛒 Ingredients

• 1 cup (~226g) low fat cottage cheese
• 0.5 tsp (~1g) black pepper
• 2 whole (~30g) scallion, sliced, for topping
• 1 tbsp (~17g) white miso paste
• 2 tbsp (~30g) water, for beef seasoning
• 2 tbsp (~36g) gochujang
• 1 tbsp (~9g) sesame seeds, toasted, for topping
• 4 clove (~12g) garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp (~14g) toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp (~4g) ginger, minced
• 1 lb (~454g) gnocchi
• 2 tbsp (~32g) balsamic vinegar
• 0.25 cup (~59g) water, for sauce
• 1 tsp (~3g) gochugaru, Korean chili flakes, for topping
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 lb (~454g) extra lean ground beef </aside>

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine the low fat cottage cheese, gochujang, white miso paste, and water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
2. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and fully cooked through. Drain any excess fat if needed.
4. Add the coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar, water, toasted sesame oil, black pepper, crushed garlic, and minced ginger to the cooked beef. Stir to combine and cook for another minute until fragrant.
5. Once the water is at a full boil, add the gnocchi and cook for a couple of minutes until they float to the surface.
6. Before draining, scoop out about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water and set it aside. Then drain the rest of the gnocchi in a colander.
7. Return the drained gnocchi to the pot over low heat. Add the blended cottage cheese sauce and about three-quarters of the seasoned beef. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and stir everything together until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.

Bulgogi rice bowl

Makes 4 servings

528 kcal · 41g protein · 65g carbs · 11g fat per serving

🛒 Ingredients

• 8 tbsp (~128g) soy sauce
• 2 whole (~220g) yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1.33 cup (~247g) jasmine rice, uncooked, washed
• 2 tsp (~5g) black pepper
• 1.33 tbsp (~18g) sesame oil
• 1.33 tbsp (~28g) honey
• 2 tsp (~6g) sesame seeds
• 20 oz (~567g) eye of round beef, thinly sliced, shabushabu style
• 0.67 cup (~166g) beef bone broth
• 4 tsp (~11g) garlic, minced
• 2 whole (~30g) green onion, thinly sliced </aside>

Instructions

1. Thinly slice both the yellow onion and the green onion. Keep them separate — the yellow onion goes into the rice cooker, and the green onion is reserved as a topping.
2. Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water, swirling with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the thinly sliced beef with the honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper. Toss well to coat every slice evenly.
4. Add the washed rice, beef bone broth, sliced yellow onion, and the marinated beef (along with any remaining marinade) to the rice cooker. Close the lid and cook on the standard white-rice setting for about 30 minutes until the rice is cooked through and the beef is tender.

Strawberry protein mousse

Makes 4 servings

258 kcal · 26g protein · 12g carbs · 12g fat per serving

🛒 Ingredients

• 920g plain Greek yogurt
• 40g sugar-free strawberry Jello powder, 1 package sugar-free
• 4 cup (~947g) boiling water </aside>

Instructions

1. Add 1 cup of boiling water to the Jello powder in a bowl and whisk until completely dissolved.
2. Let the dissolved Jello mixture sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes until it has cooled down but not yet set.
3. Add the Greek yogurt to the cooled Jello mixture and whisk well until fully combined and smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl or container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.

Protein coffee cake with monk fruit

Makes 1 serving

231 kcal · 49g protein · 4g carbs · 1g fat per serving

🛒 Ingredients

• 17g instant coffee
• 50g granulated monk fruit sweetener
• 300 ml (~308g) egg whites
• 60 ml (~60g) hot water
• 20g vanilla protein powder, for drizzle </aside>

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a baking dish or loaf tin with parchment paper.
2. Pour the egg whites into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for around 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the instant coffee, granulated monk fruit sweetener, and hot water. Stir until fully dissolved and slightly thickened.
4. Gently fold the coffee mixture into the whipped egg whites using a spatula. Work slowly and carefully to preserve as much air as possible — don't overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the lined baking dish or loaf tin. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes until lightly set on top.

I hope you all are having as efficient day as I am on a Sunday.

I batch cooked all of this in 1.5hr

My body fat % has also been going down which is amazing - I'll provide some updates in the next couple weeks.

on the menu for this week:
• Chicken pesto and rice bake x 4 servings
• Japanese beef curry with rice x 3 servings
• Gyudon x 4 servings
• High protein banana bread (snacks) x 4 servings
• Chocolate oreo Japanese cheesecake x 4 servings

I had the beef curry for lunch after the cook session. I thought i made 4 servings but actually made for 3 lol and it felt like there wasn't enough the saucy curry, but that explains it.

I had too much banana left over from last week so I made the protein banana bread again - though every time I make it, it always comes out a bit diferent. i think it has a lot to do with how ripe the bananas are.

Can't go wrong with this Gyudon, oreo japanese cheesecake - its' one of my favorite - and the pesto chicken pasta bake, based on the ingredients, it sounds amazing. I'll find out how it tastes :)

Recipes below ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

Chicken Pesto & Rice Bake

Makes 4 servings

590 kcal · 38g protein · 53g carbs · 25g fat per serving

<aside>
🛒 Ingredients

• 200g broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 80g green pesto
• 450g chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 300g cherry tomatoes
• 200g rice, washed optional
• 100g parmesan, for topping
• 1 (~0g) salt and pepper, to taste
• 400 ml (~421g) chicken stock
• 80g light cream cheese, Philadelphia light, dolloped on top </aside>

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). This takes about 10 minutes, so get it going first while you prep everything else.
2. Chop the broccoli into bite-size florets and cut the chicken breast into bite-size chunks.
3. In a large oven-safe dish, combine the rice, chicken, pesto, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together well so the stock and pesto are evenly distributed.
4. Scatter the grated parmesan evenly over the top of the dish, then dollop the light cream cheese over the surface.
5. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes until the rice is cooked through and the chicken is done.
6. Remove the cover from the dish and return it to the oven for a final 5 minutes until the cheese topping is golden and crispy.

Japanese beef curry with rice

Makes 3 servings

754 kcal · 41g protein · 74g carbs · 31g fat per serving

<aside>
🛒 Ingredients

• 90g carrots
• 9g chicken stock powder
• 1 (~0g) salt and pepper, to taste
• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 10g minced garlic
• 120g brown onion
• 21g tomato sauce reduced sugar, optional, for extra sweetness
• 300g Spud Lite potatoes, or 150g normal potatoes
• 450g cooked white rice
• 3 cube (~54g) S&B Japanese curry mix blocks
• 195g beef or chicken bone broth </aside>

Instructions

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and minced garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook with the lid on so the meat stays tender and moist. Break up the mince as it cooks until fully browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add the carrots and potatoes. Cook over medium heat with the lid on until about 80% cooked through, around 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Once the carrots and potatoes are about 80% cooked, add the sliced brown onion to the pot with the lid on and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the Japanese curry roux blocks and stir until they melt and coat the vegetables evenly.
4. Add the cooked beef mince back into the pot. Stir everything together so the curry paste is spread evenly. Add the chicken stock powder, bone broth, and optional tomato sauce. Stir to combine, then simmer over low heat for 5 minutes until everything is well incorporated and the sauce thickens slightly.

Gyudon

Makes 4 servings

531 kcal · 45g protein · 61g carbs · 10g fat per serving

<aside>
🛒 Ingredients

• 2 whole (~220g) yellow onion, sliced
• 4 whole (~176g) eggs, for soft-boiling
• 1.33 cup (~247g) jasmine rice, uncooked, washed
• 2 tbsp (~36g) mirin
• 1 tbsp (~6g) ginger, minced or grated
• 20 oz (~567g) eye of round beef, thinly sliced, shabu-shabu style
• 4 tbsp (~64g) soy sauce
• 2 whole (~30g) green onion, thinly sliced
• 0.67 cup (~166g) beef bone broth
• 1 tsp (~3g) dashi powder </aside>

Instructions

1. Thinly slice the green onions and set aside for topping.
2. Wash the jasmine rice under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear. Add the washed rice, beef, beef bone broth, soy sauce, mirin, dashi powder, yellow onion, and ginger into the rice cooker. Stir briefly to combine, then close the lid and start the cook cycle.
3. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
4. Gently lower the eggs in and cook for exactly 6 minutes. While the eggs cook, prepare an ice bath in a bowl. Immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath to stop cooking and create a jammy yolk.

Chocolate Oreo Japanese cheesecake

Makes 4 servings

263 kcal · 24g protein · 17g carbs · 11g fat per serving

<aside>
🛒 Ingredients

• 0.5 tsp (~3g) salt
• 2 cup (~490g) fat free greek yogurt, plain
• 2 scoop (~60g) protein powder, dark chocolate flavor
• 2 tsp stevia sweetener
• 2 tbsp (~11g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 14 whole (~36g) Oreo Thins, without cream filling
• 2 tbsp (~20g) light cream cheese, 95% light </aside>

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the fat free greek yogurt, cocoa powder, light cream cheese, protein powder, stevia, and salt. Stir or mix well until smooth and fully combined.
2. Lay the Oreo thins (with cream filling removed) on top of or alongside the cheesecake filling. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

High Protein Banana bread

Makes 4 servings

175 kcal · 22g protein · 17g carbs · 3g fat per serving

<aside>
🛒 Ingredients

• 10g chocolate chips
• 100g protein powder
• 50 ml (~52g) skimmed milk
• 2 whole (~236g) banana
• 1 whole (~44g) egg, medium </aside>

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while you mix the batter. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
2. Mash the bananas well in a mixing bowl. Add the egg, protein powder, skimmed milk, and chocolate chips and mix everything together until a thick batter forms.
3. Pour the batter into a suitable baking dish or air fryer basket. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes until cooked through.

I absolutely killed it today, got through all of this in 1.5 hrs

what i made:

• Chicken pesto and rice bake x4 servings

• Japanese beef curry with rice x4 servings

• Gyudon x4 servings

• High protein banana bread x4 servings

• Chocolate oreo Japanese cheesecake x4 servings

hitting 2125 cal and 160g protein per day across 4 days. the gyudon and curry are both rice-based so they reheat well, no texture issues.

the oreo japanese cheesecake is one of my favorites and I had too many ripe bananas left over so I made it again. The banana bread always comes out in different texture - I think it has to do with how ripe the banana is, but last week when I made it, it was more like a banana chocolate pudding - I absolutely loved it. We'll see how it turns out this week.

recipe below ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

Chicken Pesto & Rice Bake

Makes 4 servings

590 kcal · 38g protein · 53g carbs · 25g fat per serving

Ingredients

• 200g broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 80g green pesto
• 450g chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 300g cherry tomatoes
• 200g rice, washed optional
• 100g parmesan, for topping
• 1 (~0g) salt and pepper, to taste
• 400 ml (~421g) chicken stock
• 80g light cream cheese, Philadelphia light, dolloped on top </aside>

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). This takes about 10 minutes, so get it going first while you prep everything else.
2. Chop the broccoli into bite-size florets and cut the chicken breast into bite-size chunks.
3. In a large oven-safe dish, combine the rice, chicken, pesto, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together well so the stock and pesto are evenly distributed.
4. Scatter the grated parmesan evenly over the top of the dish, then dollop the light cream cheese over the surface.
5. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes until the rice is cooked through and the chicken is done.
6. Remove the cover from the dish and return it to the oven for a final 5 minutes until the cheese topping is golden and crispy.

Japanese beef curry with rice

Makes 3 servings

754 kcal · 41g protein · 74g carbs · 31g fat per serving

Ingredients

• 90g carrots
• 9g chicken stock powder
• 1 (~0g) salt and pepper, to taste
• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 10g minced garlic
• 120g brown onion
• 21g tomato sauce reduced sugar, optional, for extra sweetness
• 300g Spud Lite potatoes, or 150g normal potatoes
• 450g cooked white rice
• 3 cube (~54g) S&B Japanese curry mix blocks
• 195g beef or chicken bone broth </aside>

Instructions

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and minced garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook with the lid on so the meat stays tender and moist. Break up the mince as it cooks until fully browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add the carrots and potatoes. Cook over medium heat with the lid on until about 80% cooked through, around 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Once the carrots and potatoes are about 80% cooked, add the sliced brown onion to the pot with the lid on and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the Japanese curry roux blocks and stir until they melt and coat the vegetables evenly.
4. Add the cooked beef mince back into the pot. Stir everything together so the curry paste is spread evenly. Add the chicken stock powder, bone broth, and optional tomato sauce. Stir to combine, then simmer over low heat for 5 minutes until everything is well incorporated and the sauce thickens slightly.

Gyudon

Makes 4 servings

531 kcal · 45g protein · 61g carbs · 10g fat per serving

Ingredients

• 2 whole (~220g) yellow onion, sliced
• 4 whole (~176g) eggs, for soft-boiling
• 1.33 cup (~247g) jasmine rice, uncooked, washed
• 2 tbsp (~36g) mirin
• 1 tbsp (~6g) ginger, minced or grated
• 20 oz (~567g) eye of round beef, thinly sliced, shabu-shabu style
• 4 tbsp (~64g) soy sauce
• 2 whole (~30g) green onion, thinly sliced
• 0.67 cup (~166g) beef bone broth
• 1 tsp (~3g) dashi powder </aside>

Instructions

1. Thinly slice the green onions and set aside for topping.
2. Wash the jasmine rice under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear. Add the washed rice, beef, beef bone broth, soy sauce, mirin, dashi powder, yellow onion, and ginger into the rice cooker. Stir briefly to combine, then close the lid and start the cook cycle.
3. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
4. Gently lower the eggs in and cook for exactly 6 minutes. While the eggs cook, prepare an ice bath in a bowl. Immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath to stop cooking and create a jammy yolk.

Chocolate Oreo Japanese cheesecake

Makes 4 servings

263 kcal · 24g protein · 17g carbs · 11g fat per serving

Ingredients

• 0.5 tsp (~3g) salt
• 2 cup (~490g) fat free greek yogurt, plain
• 2 scoop (~60g) protein powder, dark chocolate flavor
• 2 tsp stevia sweetener
• 2 tbsp (~11g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 14 whole (~36g) Oreo Thins, without cream filling
• 2 tbsp (~20g) light cream cheese, 95% light </aside>

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the fat free greek yogurt, cocoa powder, light cream cheese, protein powder, stevia, and salt. Stir or mix well until smooth and fully combined.
2. Lay the Oreo thins (with cream filling removed) on top of or alongside the cheesecake filling. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

High Protein Banana bread

Makes 4 servings

175 kcal · 22g protein · 17g carbs · 3g fat per serving

Ingredients

• 10g chocolate chips
• 100g protein powder
• 50 ml (~52g) skimmed milk
• 2 whole (~236g) banana
• 1 whole (~44g) egg, medium </aside>

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while you mix the batter. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
2. Mash the bananas well in a mixing bowl. Add the egg, protein powder, skimmed milk, and chocolate chips and mix everything together until a thick batter forms.
3. Pour the batter into a suitable baking dish or air fryer basket. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes until cooked through.

late day prep session from 430pm to 7pm, and had one of the gochujang rice bowls for dinner.

happy Father's day.

dishes this week, for 4 days

• Tiramisu baked oats (breakfast, 4 servings)

• Padak Fried Korean Chicken 파닭 (2 servings) (sauce on the side + top it with green onions)

• Gochujang chicken rice cooker bowl (4 servings)

• High Protein Banana bread (snack, 4 servings)

• Ice cream - Salted honey latte protein ice cream (2 servings) - for Ninja creami

• Ice cream - Oreo cold brew protein icecream (2 servings) - for Ninja creami

• Ice cream - Salted pistachio cottage cheese gelato (2 servings - says for 2, but i'll probably finish in one sitting. This one apparently i don't need creami either)

1,880kcal, 136g protein, 253 carbs, 40g fat per day

I'll need a bowl of rice + salad with the Fried Korean chicken, so ~add another 200kcal or so and probably a protein shake after a workout

recipes in the reply :)

Happy Father's day

I was away over the weekend for family, so I couldn't meal prep in the morning.

got back 4pm, started cooking 430pm, done by 7pm

ate the gochujang chicken rice in between so ~2.5 hrs of cook time

dishes this week, for 4 days

• Tiramisu baked oats (breakfast, 4 servings)

• Padak Fried Korean Chicken 파닭 (2 servings) (sauce on the side + top it with green onions)

• Gochujang chicken rice cooker bowl (4 servings)

• High Protein Banana bread (snack, 4 servings)

• Ice cream - Salted honey latte protein ice cream (2 servings) - for Ninja creami

• Ice cream - Oreo cold brew protein icecream (2 servings) - for Ninja creami

• Ice cream - Salted pistachio cottage cheese gelato (2 servings - says for 2, but i'll probably finish in one sitting. This one apparently i don't need creami either)

1,880kcal, 136g protein, 253 carbs, 40g fat per day

I will need a bowl of rice to have with the (air) fried Korean chicken + salad or broccoli on the side.. so whatever amount of calories ~200kcal it'll add + PWO protein shake.

In my last post some people asked how I portion and track macros daily.. I don't :) it's a weekly target. Obviously I'm missing Fri/Sat/Sun but I generally know what is enough/not enough calories and target and it gives me some freedom to order food in or meet up w friends etc.

posting recipes in a reply

I was away over the weekend for family stuff, and I just got back around 4pm on Sunday. My groceries arrived at 430pm, and I'm done cooking just now and all the clean up 7pm.

dishes this week, for 4 days

• Tiramisu baked oats (breakfast, 4 servings)

• Padak Fried Korean Chicken 파닭 (2 servings) (sauce on the side + top it with green onions)

• Gochujang chicken rice cooker bowl (4 servings)

• High Protein Banana bread (snack, 4 servings)

• Ice cream - Salted honey latte protein ice cream (2 servings) - for Ninja creami

• Ice cream - Oreo cold brew protein icecream (2 servings) - for Ninja creami

• Ice cream - Salted pistachio cottage cheese gelato (2 servings - says for 2, but i'll probably finish in one sitting. This one apparently i don't need creami either)

1,880kcal, 136g protein, 253 carbs, 40g fat per day

What this doesn't include is i'll probably need a bowl of rice to have with the fried korean chicken and some broccoli on the side for veggies so add ~200kcal per day, gets me to ~2100calories (my target) and maybe a protein shake after workout session. Should be more or less there. In my last post some people asked how I portion and track macros daily.. I don't :) it's a weekly target. Obviously I'm missing Fri/Sat/Sun but I generally know what is enough/not enough calories and target and it gives me some freedom to order food in or meet up w friends etc. I don't work in fitness - it works for me!

the protein banana bread I mis read the recipe last time so I'm trying it again.. . It still came out too loose but I'll see after it cools down and see if it's has just the moist level.

I had one of the gochujang chicken rice bowl for dinner in between this cooking time, so perhaps the whole thing took ~2 hours :)

posting recipes in a reply

got through everything in ~2.5hrs this Sunday which felt pretty efficient for the amount of dishes.

• High Protein Banana Bread (snack)

• Chocolate Oreo Japanese Cheesecake (dessert)

• Garlic Scallion Chicken Rice Bowl

• Low-Calorie Korean Glazed Chicken

• Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

hitting ~2100 kcal/day with 187g protein across 3 meals and a couple snacks. keep it up everyone!

SUN-DRIED TOMATO CHICKEN PASTA

A hearty one-dish oven-baked pasta with chicken, chorizo, and sun-dried tomatoes — everything cooks together in one baking dish for a rich, flavourful meal.

INGREDIENTS serves 4

- 160 g dry pasta

- 800 g canned chopped tomatoes (canned)

- 300 g cherry tomatoes

- 200 g peppers (sliced)

- 100 g spinach

- 250 g chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)

- 80 g parmesan (grated)

- 350 g bone broth

- 2 tbsp tomato paste

- 1 tbsp garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, chilli flakes, black pepper (combined spice mix)

- 80 g sun-dried tomatoes

- 80 g chorizo (cut into bite-sized pieces)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Chop the chicken breast and chorizo into bite-sized pieces. Slice the peppers if not already done.
3. Add the canned chopped tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced peppers, chicken, chorizo, bone broth, tomato paste, and all the spices into a large oven dish. Mix everything together well.
4. Cover the dish and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 60 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and reduced.
5. Remove the dish from the oven. Add the dry pasta, stir well to submerge it in the sauce, then cover and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
6. Remove the dish from the oven. Add the spinach and stir it through the hot pasta mixture until fully wilted.
7. Scatter the grated parmesan evenly over the top of the dish. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

HIGH PROTEIN BANANA BREAD

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

- 2 whole banana

- 1 whole egg (medium)

- 100 g protein powder

- 50 ml skimmed milk

- 10 g chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while you mix the batter. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
2. Mash the bananas well in a mixing bowl. Add the egg, protein powder, skimmed milk, and chocolate chips and mix everything together until a thick batter forms.
3. Pour the batter into a suitable baking dish or air fryer basket. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes until cooked through.

CHOCOLATE OREO JAPANESE CHEESECAKE

A high-protein, lower-calorie Japanese-style cheesecake with a chocolate Oreo flavor, made in just 5 minutes.

INGREDIENTS serves 4

- 1 cup fat free greek yogurt (plain)

- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1 tbsp light cream cheese (95% light)

- 1 scoop protein powder (dark chocolate flavor)

- 1 tsp stevia sweetener

- 0.25 tsp salt

- 7 whole Oreo Thins (without cream filling)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, combine the fat free greek yogurt, cocoa powder, light cream cheese, protein powder, stevia, and salt. Stir or mix well until smooth and fully combined.
2. Lay the Oreo thins (with cream filling removed) on top of or alongside the cheesecake filling. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

GARLIC SCALLION CHICKEN RICE BOWL

INGREDIENTS serves 4

- 10 oz boneless skinless chicken thigh (cut into 1-inch cubes)

- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

- 1 tsp white pepper

- 1 tbsp oyster sauce

- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 cup white rice (uncooked, washed)

- 0.5 cup chicken bone broth (enough to cover rice by 1 cm)

- 5 leaf napa cabbage (thinly sliced)

- 4 tbsp garlic (minced)

- 0.5 tsp salt

- 4 whole scallion (thinly sliced)

- 0.5 tbsp water

- 0.5 tbsp olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice the chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes. Thinly slice the green onions and roughly chop the napa cabbage leaves.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the Chinese cooking wine, white pepper, oyster sauce, minced garlic, and soy sauce. Add the cubed chicken and toss well to coat. Let it sit while you prep the rice cooker.
3. Add the washed white rice to the rice cooker, then pour in the chicken bone broth. Add the chopped napa cabbage, then top with the marinated chicken. There should be enough broth to cover the rice by about 1 cm. Start the rice cooker and cook for 30 minutes.
4. While the rice cooker runs, combine the minced garlic, salt, sliced green onions, water, and olive oil in a small bowl. Stir to mix, then set aside.

TO SERVE

Once the rice cooker finishes, mix the chicken rice together, top with the garlic scallion sauce, and enjoy.

LOW-CALORIE KOREAN GLAZED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS serves 4

- 2 tbsp rice vinegar

- 1000 g chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)

- 1 black pepper (to taste)

- 3 tbsp soy sauce (for marinade) EDIT: use 1.5 tbsp

- 1 whole egg

- 50 g cornstarch

- 80 ml soy sauce (for glaze)

- 90 ml water (for glaze)

- 3 tbsp reduced sugar ketchup

- 4 tbsp gochujang

- 3 tbsp honey

- 30 g stevia

NSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces on a cutting board.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken pieces with soy sauce, black pepper, and the egg. Mix well to coat evenly, then let the chicken marinate for 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Add the cornstarch to the marinated chicken and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
4. Place the coated chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 180°C for 10 minutes, then flip each piece and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes until golden and cooked through.
5. Add all glaze ingredients — soy sauce, water, reduced sugar ketchup, gochujang, rice vinegar, honey, and stevia — into a saucepan or skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a sticky glaze consistency.
6. Add the cooked chicken pieces into the pan with the thickened glaze and toss quickly until every piece is evenly coated. Work fast so the glaze stays glossy.

this week's prep:

Cal: 2084 kcal/day

Protein: 187g

Carbs: 235g

Fat: 52g

Meals: 3 + 2.5 snacks/day

Days: 4

Cook time: ~2.5hrs

dishes:

• High Protein Banana Bread (snack)

• Chocolate Oreo Japanese Cheesecake (dessert)

• Garlic Scallion Chicken Rice Bowl

• Low-Calorie Korean Glazed Chicken

• Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

protein is distributed across all three meals plus the banana bread pulls solid numbers as a snack. Korean glazed chicken is low cal relative to its protein output which helps hit the targets without padding fat. pasta rounds out the carbs.

weekly stats block:

Cal: 2084 kcal/day
Protein: 187g
Carbs: 235g
Fat: 52g
Meals: 3/day + 2.5 snacks
Days covered: 4
Total prep time: ~2.5hrs

dishes:
• Garlic scallion chicken rice bowl
• Low-calorie Korean glazed chicken
• Sun-dried tomato chicken pasta
• High protein banana bread (snack, 6 servings)
• Chocolate Oreo Japanese cheesecake (dessert, 4 servings)

rotating all three meals across the 4 days so nothing repeats back to back. protein stays above 180g every day regardless of the combo. the banana bread is doing real work on the snack numbers.

I've started cooking on Sunday mornings to prep for the week (Monday to Thursday with some freedom on Fri/Sat).

On the menu:
• Spaghetti Carbonara (I didn't have any spaghetti so used different pasta instead.. same thing)
• Shrimp porridge
• Lemongrass Chicken
clocking in at ~1700 calories per day, 128g of protein, 200g carbs and 43g fat.

I'm a male targeting 2000 calories per day so 300 calories is for desserts :)