Tuesday

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 40 g porridge oats
• 200 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 60 g frozen mixed berries
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Put the oats, milk and a pinch of salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Use a bigger bowl than you think you need, because porridge rises as it heats.
2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then stir. Microwave for another 1 minute, until thick and creamy.
3. Stir in the frozen berries. They cool the porridge and turn it purple. Leave it for 1 minute to soften the berries, then eat.

Why it is a healthy start

Oats are a whole grain, and the fibre in them keeps you full. The berries add sweetness, vitamin C and colour without any sugar.

Swaps

Use half milk and half water. A teaspoon of peanut butter or a spoonful of yoghurt on top. A pinch of cinnamon.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 1 wholemeal tortilla wrap
• 60 g cooked sliced chicken breast (from a pack, or left over from a roast)
• 1 small ripe avocado
• 20 g baby spinach
• Black pepper

Method

1. Halve the avocado, remove the stone and scoop the flesh into a small bowl. Mash it with a fork, adding plenty of black pepper.
2. Lay the wrap flat and spread the avocado over it, leaving a gap of about 2 cm at the edge.
3. Lay the chicken and the spinach over the middle.
4. Fold in the two sides, roll it up tightly from the bottom and 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

Chicken breast gives lean protein, and avocado is a source of unsaturated fat and fibre, so the wrap keeps you full through the afternoon.

Swaps

A squeeze of lemon or lime in the avocado stops it going brown. A sliced tomato or some cucumber for extra crunch. Use a boiled egg or tinned tuna in place of the chicken.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 150 g skinless chicken breast fillet
• 150 g broccoli (the other half of Monday's head)
• 1 carrot
• 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 60 g couscous
• ½ reduced-salt vegetable stock cube
• 80 ml boiling water, for the couscous
• Salt and black pepper

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

1. Tear off a sheet of foil about 40 cm long and lay it on a baking tray. Peel and grate the garlic into a small bowl, grate in the zest of half the lemon, squeeze in the juice of that half, and stir in the oil, oregano, a pinch of salt and some pepper.
2. Slice the chicken across into pieces about 1 cm thick. Thin pieces cook through in the time the parcel takes. Mix them into the lemon and garlic. Wash your hands, the board and the knife.
3. Cut the broccoli into small florets, about 2 cm. Peel the carrot and cut it into thin batons, about 5 mm thick. Cut the other half of the lemon into 2 or 3 slices.
4. Put the broccoli and carrot in the middle of the foil, put the chicken and its lemon and garlic mixture on top, and lay the lemon slices over it. Add 1 tbsp of water.
5. Bring the long edges of the foil together over the top and fold them over twice. Fold in the two ends to seal it into a loose, sealed parcel with some space inside for steam. Keep it on the tray, covered, on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

At dinner time (about 5 minutes of work)

1. Put the tray with the parcel into the cold oven, then switch the oven on to 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark 6). Set a timer for 25 minutes and leave it alone. Starting cold means no waiting for the oven to heat.
2. About 8 minutes before the end, put the couscous in a heatproof bowl with the crumbled stock cube. Pour over the 80 ml of boiling water, cover with a plate and leave for 5 minutes. Fluff it with a fork.
3. When the timer goes, take the tray out. Open one end of the parcel carefully, because the steam is very hot. Cut into the thickest piece of chicken to check that it is white all the way through with no pink, and that the juices run clear. If not, re-seal it and bake for 5 more minutes.
4. Spoon the couscous into a bowl and tip the chicken, vegetables and all the juices over the top.

Why it is a healthy dinner

Everything steams in its own juices, so you need only 1 tsp of oil. Chicken breast is lean, and the parcel is half vegetables. Lemon and garlic give plenty of flavour without sauce or added salt.

Swaps

Green beans, courgette or peppers in place of the broccoli or carrot. A teaspoon of honey or a spoonful of mustard in the lemon mixture. Rice or a baked potato for the couscous. Use chicken thighs, cut into small pieces, for a juicier parcel.