Your meal plan for a typical week
Day 1
Breakfast:
Combine a small banana, a big handful of strawberries, a pot of low-fat natural yoghurt and the same volume of skimmed milk in a blender. Whizz until smooth and frothy.
One slice of mixed-grain seedy bread (toasted if you prefer) with reduced-fat olive oil spread and a teaspoon or two of high-fruit jam.
Lunch:
Mix half a tin of tuna (in brine, drained) with chopped celery, peppers, spring onions and one tablespoon low-fat mayo. Use to fill a wholemeal pitta and top with lots of mixed salad leaves.
Snack: Pear
Dinner:
ChilliBoil four level tablespoons of brown rice - this will take about 40 minutes while you get on with the chilli.
Heat a teaspoon olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add a small chopped onion and two cloves of garlic, allow to soften. Add a sliced courgette, a handful of mushrooms and a small pepper, cut into chunks. Drain a tin of chickpeas, rinse well and add to the pan, along with a stock cube, a small tin of tomatoes and spices - a good pinch each of chilli powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric, more if you fancy. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Serve half of the chilli with half of the rice. Save the rest for tomorrow's dinner or pop it in the freezer for a busy day.
Snack: Bowl of cherries
Day 2
Breakfast:
Wholemeal muffin spread with a little reduced-fat olive oil spread and two teaspoons of high fruit jam. Serve with a small bowl of strawberries.
Lunch:
Spread a flour tortilla (wholegrain if possible) with a tablespoon tomato salsa, and fill with 60g (2 1/2oz) cooked chicken, three tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese and plenty of crisp salad.
Dinner:
Mix together a heaped teaspoon each of honey, wholegrain mustard and soy sauce. Use this to marinade a pork chop (around 150g (5oz) in weight) for 20 minutes to half an hour. Grill the chop for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until thoroughly cooked. Meantime, cut a medium-large sweet potato into 1cm (1/2 in) thick slices, brush with a little olive oil and grill for five to seven minutes, turning once. Mix a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard into two tablespoons of natural yoghurt and serve the pork and grilled sweet potato slices with lots of crisp salad or green veg.
Snack: Pear or two plums
Day 3
Breakfast:
Chop an apple, a pear, a kiwi fruit and four dried apricots. Mix fruit together and top with a pot of low-fat natural yoghurt.
Lunch:
Have the rest of tuna from Day 1 in two slices of seeded bread with salad. Small tin of peaches or apricots in juice, not syrup (such as Frutini).
Dinner:
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick pan or wok. Cut a chicken fillet into strips and cook quickly in the oil, keeping the heat high. Add half a sliced onion, a crushed clove of garlic and 1cm (1/2in) of grated fresh ginger if you have it, half a sliced pepper, some mushrooms and a handful of mangetout or sugar snap peas. Turn the heat down slightly and cook for a few minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons of teriyaki sauce (or other stir-fry sauce) and then tip in an individual pack of straight-to-wok noodles. Combine to heat through and then sprinkle with half a teaspoon of sesame seeds.
Snack: Small bag of Peanut M&Ms
Day 4
Breakfast:
Cook 50g (2oz) porridge oats with water as directed on the packet. This only takes a couple of minutes in a microwave. Top with a small drizzle of honey and a chopped apple.
Lunch:
Mix a hard boiled egg with half a tablespoon of reduced-fat mayonnaise and a sliced spring onion. Make a sandwich with two slices of wholemeal or seeded bread or a granary roll.
Snack: Orange
Dinner:
Boil 40g (1 1/2oz) dried pasta (preferably wholegrain spaghetti or linguini) as directed, don't add oil or salt. While this is cooking, boil or steam some broccoli and spinach, and grill two turkey fillets, cutting into bite-sized pieces once cooked. Mix together a teaspoon of pesto and a tablespoon of natural yoghurt or fat-free fromage frais. Stir the pesto, broccoli and spinach, and turkey pieces through the cooked pasta. Top with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan.
Snack: Two rye crackers with a portion of low-fat cream cheese and a sliced tomato.
Day 5
Breakfast:
Four tablespoons of Bran Flakes, five chopped dried apricots and skimmed milk.
Lunch:
Fill a large wholemeal pitta pocket with a heaped tablespoon of reduced-fat hummus, five olives and salad - try a crisp mix of white cabbage, peppers, celery and carrot. Add a dash of hot chilli sauce to a tablespoon of fromage frais and use to dress the salad. Follow with a handful of grapes.
Dinner:
Low-fat lasagne with lots of green salad.Glass of red wine.
Snack: Slice of fruit loaf with reduced-fat olive oil spread.
Day 6
Breakfast:
Mix together one tablespoon of porridge oats, three tablespoons of raisins and a grated apple, keeping the skin on. Pour over 100ml (3 fl oz) skimmed milk and keep in the fridge overnight (this step isn't essential if you don't have time). Serve with a pot of low-fat yoghurt.
Lunch:
Soak two tablespoons of bulgar wheat in boiling water for 10 minutes. When it has swollen and softened, drain off excess water and refrigerate (do this the night before if it's easier). Slice three small vine-ripened tomatoes, two spring onions and a handful of fresh herbs of your choice. Mix into the wheat, along with the juice of half a lemon and a dessertspoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Dinner:
Boil four new potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, brush a small salmon steak with a little olive oil and grill for around 10 minutes, turning once. Boil or steam a mix of green vegetables for five minutes - try a combination of green beans, broccoli and mangetout. Mix a heaped teaspoon of wholegrain mustard, pesto or even horseradish sauce into a tablespoon of natural yoghurt and add chopped fresh herbs of your choice. Serve as a sauce for the salmon, with boiled new potatoes and crunchy vegetables.
Snack: Actimel fat-free drink or other probiotic drink.
Day 7
Breakfast:
Small bowl of Special K with a heaped tablespoon of All-Bran and skimmed milk. Small banana.
Lunch:
Bowl of lentil soup, granary roll with a light spread of low-fat cream cheese.
Dinner:
Put one-and-a-half tablespoons of brown rice on to boil for 35-40 minutes. Mix together three tablespoons of natural yoghurt, three-quarters of a teaspoon of cinnamon, two cardamom pods, half a teaspoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of coriander seeds, one-quarter teaspoon of ground ginger and a pinch of cloves. Use this to marinade a lean lamb loin chop for 30 minutes. When the rice has been cooking for about 25 minutes, cook the lamb either on a griddle pan or under the grill - this will take around 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, boil or steam green vegetables and serve with the rice and lamb.
Snack: Apple
Breakfast:
Combine a small banana, a big handful of strawberries, a pot of low-fat natural yoghurt and the same volume of skimmed milk in a blender. Whizz until smooth and frothy.
One slice of mixed-grain seedy bread (toasted if you prefer) with reduced-fat olive oil spread and a teaspoon or two of high-fruit jam.
Lunch:
Mix half a tin of tuna (in brine, drained) with chopped celery, peppers, spring onions and one tablespoon low-fat mayo. Use to fill a wholemeal pitta and top with lots of mixed salad leaves.
Snack: Pear
Dinner:
ChilliBoil four level tablespoons of brown rice - this will take about 40 minutes while you get on with the chilli.
Heat a teaspoon olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add a small chopped onion and two cloves of garlic, allow to soften. Add a sliced courgette, a handful of mushrooms and a small pepper, cut into chunks. Drain a tin of chickpeas, rinse well and add to the pan, along with a stock cube, a small tin of tomatoes and spices - a good pinch each of chilli powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric, more if you fancy. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Serve half of the chilli with half of the rice. Save the rest for tomorrow's dinner or pop it in the freezer for a busy day.
Snack: Bowl of cherries
Day 2
Breakfast:
Wholemeal muffin spread with a little reduced-fat olive oil spread and two teaspoons of high fruit jam. Serve with a small bowl of strawberries.
Lunch:
Spread a flour tortilla (wholegrain if possible) with a tablespoon tomato salsa, and fill with 60g (2 1/2oz) cooked chicken, three tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese and plenty of crisp salad.
Dinner:
Mix together a heaped teaspoon each of honey, wholegrain mustard and soy sauce. Use this to marinade a pork chop (around 150g (5oz) in weight) for 20 minutes to half an hour. Grill the chop for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until thoroughly cooked. Meantime, cut a medium-large sweet potato into 1cm (1/2 in) thick slices, brush with a little olive oil and grill for five to seven minutes, turning once. Mix a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard into two tablespoons of natural yoghurt and serve the pork and grilled sweet potato slices with lots of crisp salad or green veg.
Snack: Pear or two plums
Day 3
Breakfast:
Chop an apple, a pear, a kiwi fruit and four dried apricots. Mix fruit together and top with a pot of low-fat natural yoghurt.
Lunch:
Have the rest of tuna from Day 1 in two slices of seeded bread with salad. Small tin of peaches or apricots in juice, not syrup (such as Frutini).
Dinner:
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick pan or wok. Cut a chicken fillet into strips and cook quickly in the oil, keeping the heat high. Add half a sliced onion, a crushed clove of garlic and 1cm (1/2in) of grated fresh ginger if you have it, half a sliced pepper, some mushrooms and a handful of mangetout or sugar snap peas. Turn the heat down slightly and cook for a few minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons of teriyaki sauce (or other stir-fry sauce) and then tip in an individual pack of straight-to-wok noodles. Combine to heat through and then sprinkle with half a teaspoon of sesame seeds.
Snack: Small bag of Peanut M&Ms
Day 4
Breakfast:
Cook 50g (2oz) porridge oats with water as directed on the packet. This only takes a couple of minutes in a microwave. Top with a small drizzle of honey and a chopped apple.
Lunch:
Mix a hard boiled egg with half a tablespoon of reduced-fat mayonnaise and a sliced spring onion. Make a sandwich with two slices of wholemeal or seeded bread or a granary roll.
Snack: Orange
Dinner:
Boil 40g (1 1/2oz) dried pasta (preferably wholegrain spaghetti or linguini) as directed, don't add oil or salt. While this is cooking, boil or steam some broccoli and spinach, and grill two turkey fillets, cutting into bite-sized pieces once cooked. Mix together a teaspoon of pesto and a tablespoon of natural yoghurt or fat-free fromage frais. Stir the pesto, broccoli and spinach, and turkey pieces through the cooked pasta. Top with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan.
Snack: Two rye crackers with a portion of low-fat cream cheese and a sliced tomato.
Day 5
Breakfast:
Four tablespoons of Bran Flakes, five chopped dried apricots and skimmed milk.
Lunch:
Fill a large wholemeal pitta pocket with a heaped tablespoon of reduced-fat hummus, five olives and salad - try a crisp mix of white cabbage, peppers, celery and carrot. Add a dash of hot chilli sauce to a tablespoon of fromage frais and use to dress the salad. Follow with a handful of grapes.
Dinner:
Low-fat lasagne with lots of green salad.Glass of red wine.
Snack: Slice of fruit loaf with reduced-fat olive oil spread.
Day 6
Breakfast:
Mix together one tablespoon of porridge oats, three tablespoons of raisins and a grated apple, keeping the skin on. Pour over 100ml (3 fl oz) skimmed milk and keep in the fridge overnight (this step isn't essential if you don't have time). Serve with a pot of low-fat yoghurt.
Lunch:
Soak two tablespoons of bulgar wheat in boiling water for 10 minutes. When it has swollen and softened, drain off excess water and refrigerate (do this the night before if it's easier). Slice three small vine-ripened tomatoes, two spring onions and a handful of fresh herbs of your choice. Mix into the wheat, along with the juice of half a lemon and a dessertspoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Dinner:
Boil four new potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, brush a small salmon steak with a little olive oil and grill for around 10 minutes, turning once. Boil or steam a mix of green vegetables for five minutes - try a combination of green beans, broccoli and mangetout. Mix a heaped teaspoon of wholegrain mustard, pesto or even horseradish sauce into a tablespoon of natural yoghurt and add chopped fresh herbs of your choice. Serve as a sauce for the salmon, with boiled new potatoes and crunchy vegetables.
Snack: Actimel fat-free drink or other probiotic drink.
Day 7
Breakfast:
Small bowl of Special K with a heaped tablespoon of All-Bran and skimmed milk. Small banana.
Lunch:
Bowl of lentil soup, granary roll with a light spread of low-fat cream cheese.
Dinner:
Put one-and-a-half tablespoons of brown rice on to boil for 35-40 minutes. Mix together three tablespoons of natural yoghurt, three-quarters of a teaspoon of cinnamon, two cardamom pods, half a teaspoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of coriander seeds, one-quarter teaspoon of ground ginger and a pinch of cloves. Use this to marinade a lean lamb loin chop for 30 minutes. When the rice has been cooking for about 25 minutes, cook the lamb either on a griddle pan or under the grill - this will take around 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, boil or steam green vegetables and serve with the rice and lamb.
Snack: Apple
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