Monday

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 150 g plain Greek-style yoghurt
• 30 g porridge oats
• 80 g frozen mixed berries
• 1 tsp honey (optional)

Method

1. Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl or jar and stir in the oats.
2. Tip the frozen berries on top. They will thaw as you get ready, and their juice colours the yoghurt.
3. Drizzle with the honey if you want it sweeter, and eat straight away. If you want softer oats, stir it all together the night before and keep it covered in the fridge.

Why it is a healthy start

Greek yoghurt is high in protein and the oats add slow-release fibre, so the pot keeps you full all morning. The berries give sweetness and vitamin C without sugar.

Swaps

Chopped banana or apple in place of the berries. A spoonful of peanut butter stirred in. A pinch of cinnamon on top.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 1 wholemeal tortilla wrap
• 60 g houmous (about 3 tbsp)
• 1 carrot
• 50 g cucumber (about 5 cm)
• 20 g baby spinach
• Black pepper

Method

1. Peel the carrot and grate it on the coarse side of a grater. Cut the cucumber into thin sticks.
2. Lay the wrap flat and spread the houmous over it, leaving a gap of about 2 cm at the edge.
3. Scatter the spinach, carrot and cucumber over the middle of the wrap, and add some black pepper.
4. Fold in the two sides, then roll it up tightly from the bottom. Cut it in half. To take it with you, wrap it in baking paper or foil and keep it cool.

Why it is a healthy lunch

Houmous is made from chickpeas, so the wrap has plain plant protein and fibre. The raw carrot, cucumber and spinach add crunch, vitamins and very few calories.

Swaps

Grated beetroot or a sliced tomato in place of the cucumber. A squeeze of lemon juice. Cottage cheese or a boiled egg in the wrap for more protein.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 150 g lean beef steak (sirloin or rump)
• 150 g broccoli (about half a head)
• 60 g long-grain white rice (basmati cooks fastest)
• 1 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Black pepper

Prep ahead (about 10 minutes, any time that day)

1. Trim any hard fat from the steak. Slice it across the grain into thin strips, about 3 mm thick and 5 cm long. It slices more easily if it has been in the freezer for 20 minutes.
2. Peel and finely grate the garlic into a bowl. Stir in the soy sauce, honey, 1 tsp of the oil and some pepper. Add the beef, turn it until it is coated, cover the bowl and put it on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
3. Cut the broccoli into small florets, about 2 cm across, and slice the stalk into thin rounds. Put them in a covered container in the fridge. Wash your hands, the board and the knife.

At dinner time (about 5 minutes of work)

1. Switch the oven on to 220°C (200°C fan, gas mark 7) as soon as you get in. It takes about 10 minutes to heat. Line a large baking tray with foil or baking paper.
2. When the oven is hot, tip the broccoli on to the tray, toss it with the remaining 1 tsp of oil, and spread it out. Add the beef and all of its marinade, spreading the strips out in a single layer so that they roast rather than steam. Roast for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, put the rice in a pan of boiling water and cook it for 10 to 11 minutes, or following the packet. Drain it.
4. Take the tray out, turn the beef and broccoli over, and roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the beef is brown and sticky with no pink left and the broccoli has browned edges.
5. Spoon the rice into a bowl and tip the beef, broccoli and any sticky juices from the tray over the top.

Why it is a healthy dinner

Thin strips of lean steak mean a modest 150 g of beef is plenty, and the broccoli supplies vitamin C, folate and fibre. The sauce is only soy sauce and a little honey, so there is no sugary bottled sauce and just 2 tsp of oil.

Swaps

A ready-cooked microwave rice pouch is quicker, but a 250 g pouch is two portions, so eat it all or cool the rest within an hour and use it within a day. Egg noodles (4 minutes) in place of the rice. Green beans, peppers or sugar snap peas in place of the broccoli. A pinch of chilli flakes or a squeeze of lime to finish.