The 5:2 lifestyle comes in a range of varieties. The original was 500 calories for women and 600 calories for men on 2 non-consecutive fast days a week. Dr. Michael Mosley has recently revised this to 800 calories as almost as effective and more achievable for some people. There is also a potential split between whether this is achieved in one meal or across two. When I’m at home I am just as happy to eat dinner only but when I’m at work I prefer to have lunch and dinner. So this meal is a little higher in calories than most of my 5:2 meals, we eat it on non-fast days.

This meal came in at 546 calories/serve using Casa Barelli tomato and mozzarella tortellini (363 calories/serve). The sauce itself is 213 calories so you could reduce the total with a different pasta (wholemeal being a better choice). 

Roasted tomato, spinach and yoghurt pasta sauce

Roasted tomato, spinach and yoghurt pasta sauce.

2 punnets cherry tomatoes (90 calories)

4 small tomatoes (48 calories)

3 cloves garlic unpeeled (12 calories)

3 tablespoons olive oil (360 calories)

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

1 good sized handful baby spinach (10 calories)

1 ½ cups Greek yoghurt (330 calories)

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

Place 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, 3 whole cloves garlic and 4 small quartered tomatoes in a baking dish, drizzle with three tablespoons olive oil.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Slow roast for 1 hour until collapsed and browning around the edges.

Remove garlic and squeeze out of its paper, back into pan.

Add a handful of baby spinach

Add 1.5 cups yoghurt

Toss together on stovetop over low flame until spinach is wilted and yoghurt heated through. Serve on top of drained pasta.