Day 1

Breakfast: Fruit & Nut Cereal

30g cereal (e.g. Bran Flakes) with 150 ml low-fat milk topped with 4 sliced dried apricots and 1 tsp flaked almonds.
Snack: 1 smoothie made with 1 small banana, 50g mixed frozen berries & 1 pot of probiotic fruit yoghurt (125g)

Lunch: Avocado & Mozzarella Wrap

1 small tortilla wrap filled with ½ a sliced avocado, 2 tbsp tomato-based salsa, shredded iceberg lettuce and 30g grated mozzarella.

Snack: Handful of grapes

Dinner: Black Bean Chicken – quicker than phoning for a takeaway!

Fry 1 chopped chicken fillet and ½ an onion in a little olive oil until browned. Chop ½ a red pepper, 3 broccoli florets, ½ courgette and 1 small carrot. Add to the chicken & onion with a splash of water and allow to cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add in 2 tbsp Black Bean sauce and reduce to a low heat. Meanwhile, place 40g egg noodles in a pan of boiling water. Allow to soften and drain. Serve the black bean chicken and veg over the cooked noodles.

Vegetarians can use Quorn chicken-style pieces instead of chicken fillet.

Day 2

Breakfast:

Poached egg on toast – 1 poached egg on 30g slice of wholegrain toast with 1 tsp low fat spread. Followed by 1 pot of probiotic fruit yoghurt (125g)

Snack: 2 kiwi fruit

Lunch: Chicken Sandwich with Basil Mayo

Grill a 130g chicken fillet. When cool, shred or chop finely. Mix 1 tablespoon extra-light mayonnaise with 2 large basil leaves, chopped and add the chicken. Sandwich between 2 slices of granary bread (30g each) and add some rocket leaves and halved cherry tomatoes.

Snack: 50g dried mango

Dinner: Stuffed yellow pepper (V)

Halve 1 yellow pepper and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle each half with 1 tsp olive oil mixed with 1 crushed clove of garlic, place on a baking tray, and bake for about 50 minutes until browned at the edges. Meanwhile, boil 20g brown rice (uncooked weight) & dry fry ½ an onion. Mix the rice & onion with 1 tbsp currants & 30g feta cheese and use to fill the pepper halves.

Day 3

Breakfast: Fruit & Nut Porridge

Make up 30g porridge oats with 100ml low-fat milk and enough water for desired consistency. Stir in 3 chopped dried apricots and 15g chopped hazelnuts.

Snack: 2 mandarin oranges

Lunch: Vegetable & Lentil Soup

300g vegetable & lentil soup with 4 wholegrain crackers (e.g. Ryvita) topped with 30g feta cheese and 8 cherry tomatoes, halved. Followed by 1 apple.

Snack: 1 pot of probiotic fruit yoghurt (125g)

Dinner: Spanish omelette (V)

Chop 1 leftover boiled potato, ½ an onion & ¼ a red pepper into similar-sized pieces. Fry in 1 tsp olive oil until the onion & pepper have softened. Beat 1 whole egg & 1 egg white in a cup with some freshly ground black pepper, add to the pan and swirl to distribute. Cook slowly until set and place under a warm grill to set the top. Serve with a mixed salad with 1 tbsp low fat dressing.

Day 4

Breakfast: Mixed seed porridge

Soak 30g porridge oats overnight in 50ml skimmed milk, with 1 tbsp mixed seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and golden linseed seeds. The next day, make up the porridge with water to your preferred consistency. The seeds swell and are delicious when cooked in the porridge this way.

Snack: 1 apple

Lunch: Hummus Pitta

1 large wholemeal pitta toasted and filled with 1 tbsp reduced-fat hummus, chopped red pepper, chopped sundried tomatoes & shredded lettuce. Followed by 1 orange.

Snack: 1 pot of probiotic fruit yoghurt (125g)

Dinner: Salmon pasta bake

Fry a small chopped onion and 1 crushed garlic clove in 1 tsp olive oil until golden. Add 30 grams broccoli separated into small florets, 1 small tin tomatoes, a splash of balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil and 90g tinned salmon, drained. Add 120g cooked pasta (40g uncooked weight) and mix well. Place in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with 1 tbsp breadcrumbs. Grill until golden.

Day 5

Breakfast: Sardines on toast

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Thoroughly mash 120g tinned sardines (drained), 2tsp ketchup, 2 tsp extra-light mayonnaise, few drops of Worcestershire sauce and freshly ground black pepper with a fork until the bones are all smashed and you have a thick creamy consistency.

Divide the mixture between 2 slices of toast. Put them on a sheet of foil under the grill until the fish starts to brown – about 3 minutes. Remove and serve at once with 1 tomato, quartered.

Snack: Carrot & celery sticks with 2 tbsp low fat cottage cheese

Lunch: Tomato & Basil soup

300g bowl of tomato & basil soup, with 2 wholegrain crackers and 2 tbsp hummus. Followed by 2 mandarin oranges.

Snack: 1 pear

Dinner: Roasted Vegetables with Feta

Cut ½ red pepper, ½ red onion, 1 courgette, 1 celery stick and 1 sweet potato into similar-sized chunks. Drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil and add 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Roast in the oven until veg are tender. Towards the end of cooking time, crumble over 30g feta cheese. Serve warm.

Day 6

Breakfast: Mango Medley

Chop ¼ mango, 2 kiwi fruit and 4 dried apricots. Combine with 1tbsp hazelnuts and the juice from ½ a fresh lime, and garnish with fresh mint. Serve with a swirl of low fat natural yoghurt (125g pot).

Snack: 1 slice granary bread toasted, with 1 tsp low-fat spread and 1 tsp honey

Lunch: Sweet Chilli & Avocado Pitta

Mash half a ripe avocado. Add 1 chopped tomato, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tsp sweet chilli sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice and some black pepper to taste. Use to fill 1 large toasted wholemeal pitta along with plenty of salad.

Snack: 1 banana

Dinner: Pesto Cod with Sweet Potato

Top 150g cod fillet with 2 tsp pesto and bake in the oven. Serve on a bed of steamed baby spinach with 1 baked sweet potato

Day 7

Breakfast: Cinnamon & sultana porridge

Soak 30g porridge oats overnight in 50ml skimmed milk with 1tbsp sultanas. The next day, make up the porridge with water to your preferred consistency. Top with a pinch of cinnamon before serving.

Snack: 1 orange & 1 kiwi chopped

Lunch: Veggie Feta Couscous

Mix 4 tbsp cooked couscous with chopped roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, cucumber, fresh mint, juice of ½ a lemon & 1 tsp of oil from the sundried tomatoes. Serve with 30g feta cheese.

Snack: 50g dried mango

Dinner: Peppered steak with potatoes & broccoli

120g lean fillet steak rubbed with 1 garlic clove and 1 tbsp crushed peppercorns, grilled and served with steamed broccoli and 3 baby boiled potatoes with 1 tsp low fat spread. Followed by 1 pot of probiotic fruit yoghurt (125g).