Sunday
Meal Plan 1: Everyday Classics
Day 7 · Sunday
Today at a glance. The last day of the week and the slowest. Three beginner recipes, about 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking in total, nearly all of it in the oven. Breakfast bakes while you get ready, lunch is a quick omelette, and the roast cooks itself while you do something else. Dinner makes two portions, so the second can go in a sandwich or salad tomorrow. Every quantity below is for one portion unless the recipe says otherwise, in metric with UK names.
Breakfast
Breakfast
Apple and Cinnamon Baked Oats
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 50 g porridge oats
- 1 egg
- 150 ml semi-skimmed milk
- 1 apple
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Method
- Heat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan). Find a small ovenproof dish or large ramekin that holds about 350 ml.
- Core the apple. Grate half of it on the coarse side of a grater, and cut the other half into thin slices.
- In a bowl, beat the egg with the milk and cinnamon. Stir in the oats and the grated apple.
- Pour the mixture into the dish and lay the apple slices on top.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the middle is set. A knife pushed into the centre should come out clean. Let it stand for 2 minutes, because it will be very hot.
Why it is a healthy start
It tastes like a pudding but contains no added sugar. The oats and apple give fibre, and the egg and milk add protein, so it keeps you going until lunch.
Swaps
A teaspoon of honey or a few raisins if you like it sweeter. Use a pear or half a banana in place of the apple. A spoonful of Greek yoghurt on top makes it creamier.
Shopping list for this recipeLunch
Lunch
Mushroom and Spinach Omelette
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 2 eggs
- 80 g button or chestnut mushrooms
- 30 g baby spinach
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp piece of kitchen paper, rather than washing them, and slice them.
- Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a small non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until they are golden and the water has gone. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and stir for 30 seconds until it wilts. Tip the filling onto a plate.
- Beat the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt and some pepper.
- Return the pan to a medium heat with the remaining oil. Pour in the eggs and tilt the pan so they cover the base. Let them set for about 30 seconds, then pull the cooked edges towards the middle with a spatula and tilt to let the raw egg run to the edge. Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the top is just set.
- Spoon the filling over one half, fold the other half over, and cook for another 30 seconds. Slide onto a plate.
Why it is a healthy lunch
Eggs give protein, and mushrooms and spinach give you two vegetables for very few calories. Cooking them first without much oil keeps it light.
Swaps
Add a spoonful of grated cheese with the filling. A slice of wholemeal toast makes it more filling. Cherry tomatoes or a few chopped spring onions work in place of the spinach.
Shopping list for this recipeDinner
Dinner · Pork
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Root Vegetables
Ingredients (makes 2 portions: dinner tonight, a cold portion for tomorrow)
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 350 g)
- 2 carrots
- 2 parsnips
- 1 red onion
- 1 apple
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 120 g cooked chickpeas, left over from Saturday (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Heat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan).
- Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut them into chunks about 3 cm long, cutting any thick ends in half lengthways so the pieces are about the same size. Peel the onion and cut it into 6 wedges. Core the apple and cut it into 8 wedges, but leave the skin on.
- Put the carrots, parsnips and onion in a large roasting tin with 1 tbsp of the oil, half the thyme and a pinch of salt. Toss well and spread in one layer. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, trim any hard fat and the thin silvery skin from the pork. Rub it with the remaining oil, thyme, a good pinch of salt and some pepper.
- Heat a frying pan over a high heat until very hot. Brown the pork for about 5 minutes in total, turning it until all sides are golden.
- Take the tin out of the oven and push the vegetables aside. Put the pork in the middle, add the apple wedges and the chickpeas (if using), and return to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
- The pork is cooked when there is no pink in the centre and the juices run clear. If you have a probe thermometer, it should read at least 70 °C in the thickest part. Cover loosely with foil and rest it for 5 minutes.
- Slice the pork into rounds about 1.5 cm thick. Serve half of the slices with half of the vegetables and apple.
Saving tomorrow's portion safely
Slice and put the other half of the pork and vegetables in a covered container as soon as the steam stops, let it cool for up to an hour, then keep it in the fridge. Eat it within 2 days, cold in a sandwich or on a salad, or heated until steaming hot all the way through.
Why it is a healthy dinner
Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts you can buy, and the plate is mostly vegetables. The apple roasts into a light sauce, so no gravy is needed.
Swaps
Swede, sweet potato or celeriac can replace the parsnips. Use a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard rubbed over the pork for a stronger flavour. If you only want one portion tonight, ask the butcher for half a tenderloin.
Shopping list for this recipeThat is the week
You have cooked a full week of healthy, beginner meals with three beef dinners, a fish dinner and a vegetarian day. The next chapter pulls every ingredient into one weekly shopping list, grouped by aisle, so you can shop once.