Tuesday

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 200 g plain Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 tsp honey
• 15 g walnut pieces
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Method

1. Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl.
2. Drizzle the honey over the top and scatter on the walnuts.
3. Dust with the cinnamon if you like. Eat straight away.

Why it is a healthy start

Thick Greek yoghurt has about twice the protein of ordinary yoghurt, and walnuts give healthy fats. Only a teaspoon of honey is needed, because you have the nuts for texture.

Swaps

A handful of berries, a sliced banana or an apple, or a spoonful of oats stirred in to make it more filling. Chopped almonds in place of the walnuts.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 1 wholemeal pitta bread
• 40 g feta cheese
• 1 medium tomato
• 50 g cucumber (about 5 cm)
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Black pepper

Method

1. Chop the tomato and the cucumber into small pieces, about 1 cm. Crumble the feta into the bowl with them.
2. Add the oil, oregano and some black pepper, and toss. The feta is salty, so you will not need extra salt.
3. Warm the pitta in the toaster for 30 to 60 seconds until it puffs, then cut along one long edge to open a pocket.
4. Spoon the salad into the pitta. Pack it separately and fill it just before eating if you are taking it with you, so the bread does not go soggy.

Why it is a healthy lunch

This is the classic Greek salad in a wholemeal pitta. Feta is strongly flavoured, so a small amount is enough, and the tomato and cucumber make the lunch light and refreshing.

Swaps

A few black olives or some thin slices of red onion. A handful of baby spinach. A spoonful of houmous inside the pitta, or a boiled egg for extra protein.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 150 g skinless chicken breast fillet
• 60 g dried orzo
• 100 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lemon
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ reduced-salt vegetable stock cube
• 300 ml boiling water
• 30 g baby spinach
• 20 g feta cheese, to serve
• Black pepper

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

1. Cut the chicken into 2 cm cubes. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Grate the zest of the lemon into a bowl, squeeze in the juice of half of it, and stir in the garlic, oregano and some pepper. Add the chicken, turn it to coat, cover and put it on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Wrap the other half of the lemon for later.
2. Peel the onion and chop it small. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Put them in a covered container in the fridge. Wash your hands, the board and the knife.
3. Stand a wide saucepan or deep frying pan with a lid on the hob, ready, with the orzo, the stock cube and the spinach next to it.

At dinner time (about 5 minutes of work)

1. Heat the oil in the pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 2 minutes. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until it is pale gold on the outside.
2. Stir in the orzo and the tomatoes. Crumble in the stock cube and pour over the boiling water. Bring to a simmer.
3. Put the lid on, turn the heat down to a steady simmer and leave it for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once or twice so that the orzo does not stick, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.
4. Stir in the spinach for 1 minute until it wilts. Cut open the largest piece of chicken to check that it is white all the way through with no pink, and that the juices run clear.
5. Squeeze in some juice from the other half of the lemon, to taste. Spoon it into a bowl and crumble the feta over the top.

Why it is a healthy dinner

Chicken breast gives lean protein, and orzo is a small pasta that cooks in the same pot as everything else, so there is no draining. Lemon, garlic and oregano bring a lot of flavour for just 1 tsp of oil.

Swaps

Chicken thigh in place of the breast, for a juicier pot. A few olives or a handful of peas stirred in at the end. Wholewheat pasta shapes in place of the orzo if you need to, though they need longer. A spoonful of plain yoghurt on top in place of the feta.