Thursday
Meal Plan 2: Around the World
Day 4 · Thursday · Korea and East Asia
Breakfast
Apple and Walnut Overnight Oats
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 40 g porridge oats
- 100 ml semi-skimmed milk
- 50 g plain Greek-style yoghurt
- 1 apple
- 15 g walnut pieces
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Method
- The evening before: grate half the apple, skin and all, on the coarse side of a grater, avoiding the core.
- In a jar or a bowl with a lid, stir together the oats, milk, yoghurt, cinnamon and grated apple until there is no dry oat left.
- Cover and put it in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight. The oats soak up the liquid and soften without any cooking.
- In the morning: stir the oats, adding a splash of milk if they are too thick. Chop the other half of the apple and scatter it on top with the walnuts. Eat it cold, or warm it in the microwave for 1 minute.
Why it is a healthy start
Soaked oats are gentle on the stomach and filling, the yoghurt adds protein, and the walnuts give healthy fats. It takes five minutes the night before and nothing on the day.
Swaps
A pear or banana instead of the apple. Chopped almonds or seeds in place of the walnuts. A teaspoon of honey if you want it sweeter.
Shopping list for this recipeLunch
Egg Fried Rice with Peas
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 1 portion cooked brown basmati rice from Wednesday (about 150 g)
- 2 eggs
- 60 g frozen peas
- 2 spring onions
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Black pepper
Method
- Take the rice out of the fridge and break up any clumps with a fork. Beat the eggs. Trim and slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
- Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Pour in the eggs and stir for 30 to 60 seconds until they are just set. Tip them onto a plate.
- Add the remaining oil, the white parts of the spring onions and the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the peas and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, pressing it against the pan, until it is steaming hot all the way through. Do not stop stirring.
- Return the egg to the pan, breaking it into pieces, and add the soy sauce and some pepper. Toss for 30 seconds, scatter over the green spring onions, and serve at once.
Why it is a healthy lunch
Cold, day-old rice fries better than fresh, so using up yesterday's rice is the proper way to make it. The peas add fibre and protein, and the eggs make it a complete meal in one pan.
Swaps
A handful of chopped spinach, grated carrot or sweetcorn can go in with the peas. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil at the end is traditional. Add a pinch of chilli flakes for heat.
Shopping list for this recipeDinner
Beef Bulgogi-Style Rice Bowl
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 150 g lean beef steak (sirloin or rump)
- 60 g brown basmati rice
- 1½ tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 cm fresh root ginger
- 1 carrot
- 50 g baby spinach
- 1 spring onion
- 2 tsp olive oil
Method
- Trim any hard fat from the steak and slice it across the grain into thin strips, about 3 mm thick. Peel the garlic and ginger and grate them finely.
- In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger. Add the beef, turn it to coat, and leave it for at least 15 minutes (or up to 8 hours in the fridge, covered).
- Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of boiling water following the packet (brown basmati usually takes about 25 minutes), and drain it. Peel and coarsely grate the carrot, and trim and slice the spring onion.
- Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat until very hot. Lift the beef out of the marinade (keep the marinade) and cook it in a single layer for 1 to 2 minutes, turning once, until browned. Tip it onto a plate.
- Turn the heat to medium, add the rest of the oil and the spinach, and stir for 1 minute until it wilts. Move it to the side of the plate.
- Pour the leftover marinade into the pan and let it bubble for 1 minute until it is hot and slightly sticky. This cooks the marinade, so it is safe to eat. Return the beef to the pan for 20 seconds.
- Spoon the rice into a bowl and arrange the beef, spinach and grated carrot on top. Pour over any sauce from the pan and scatter with the spring onion.
Why it is a healthy dinner
Lean steak sliced thin goes a long way, and the bowl is a third vegetables. The marinade uses a little honey and reduced-salt soy for flavour instead of sugary bottled sauce.
Swaps
Add a teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds on top. Use thin pork or chicken strips if you prefer. A fried egg on top turns it towards the Korean dish bibimbap. A spoonful of kimchi on the side, if you like it.
Shopping list for this recipe