This warm, fibre-loaded pasta salad is so versatile.
Pasta salad for illustration purposes. Picture iStock
Weight-loss injections such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have changed how people lose weight. But what happens when the injections stop and the kilograms start creeping back? That’s the question dietitian and women’s health expert Dr Linia Patel tackles in her new book, Life After Weight-Loss Medication: Nourish Your Body and Keep the Weight Off.
Drawing on more than 20 years of clinical experience, Patel explores the science behind GLP-1 medications, why they work so well, and why keeping the weight off can be far more challenging than losing it.
She also examines the less glamorous side of rapid weight loss, including muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, returning cravings and the psychological battle that can follow when the appetite-suppressing effects of medication wear off.
Patel, who holds a PhD and has worked in public health, performance nutrition and clinical dietetics, is also the author of Food for Menopause. Her latest book is part scientific explainer and part practical guide to managing weight beyond the prescription.
It unpacks the importance of protein, fibre, gut health, exercise, sleep and emotional wellbeing, while offering strategies to rebuild healthier eating habits without becoming obsessed with calorie counting. It also includes 40 recipes and four weekly meal plans to help readers put the advice into practice.
Importantly, Patel is not against weight-loss medication. She recognises its benefits but argues that injections alone cannot guarantee lasting results. Her message is that losing weight and keeping it off are two very different challenges, and understanding how your body responds to both could make all the difference.
Gut-friendly Pasta Salad
This warm, fibre-loaded pasta salad is so versatile. You can have it as a main or a side, and swap the veggies for whatever is in season and add in chicken or prawns for a protein boost. Typically, pasta meals are lower in protein, so red lentil pasta is a great option to boost protein. Wholegrain pasta has three to five times more fibre per serving than regular pasta.
Serves: 4 Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 500g (1lb 2oz) squash or pumpkin, deseeded and cut into bite-sized chunks
- 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- A few sprigs of thyme or oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 350g (12oz) wholegrain or red lentil pasta
- 200g (7oz) frozen peas, defrosted
- 120ml (½ cup) kefir
- 60g (2oz) Parmesan, grated
- 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (400°F/gas mark 6).
2. In a roasting tin, toss the squash, garlic and thyme with half the oil and plenty of seasoning, then roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until tender.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 15-16 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving 100ml (scant ½ cup) of the cooking water.
4. Tip the pasta into a large bowl, add the roasted squash and squeeze the garlic out of its skins. Add the defrosted peas, kefir, Parmesan and seeds.
5. Combine well, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen. Check and adjust the seasoning and serve warm or at room temperature.
*Recipe courtesy of Jonathan Ball Publishers
