Monday

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 40 g porridge oats
• 100 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 50 g plain Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 eating apple
• 15 g raisins
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. The evening before: wash the apple and grate half of it, skin and all, avoiding the core. Cut the other half into small cubes and keep them in the fridge in a small covered container.
2. In a jar or a bowl with a lid, stir together the oats, milk, yoghurt, raisins, cinnamon and grated apple until no dry oat is left.
3. 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.
4. In the morning: stir, add a splash of milk if it is too thick, and top with the apple cubes. 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 full of fibre, and the grated apple and raisins sweeten them, so no sugar is needed. The yoghurt adds protein.

Swaps

A pear or banana in place of the apple. Use all milk if you have no yoghurt. A teaspoon of peanut butter stirred in for extra protein.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 1 wholemeal tortilla wrap
• 2 eggs
• 1 small tomato
• 15 g baby spinach
• 20 g plain Greek-style yoghurt
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Lower the eggs into a small pan of boiling water and cook them for 9 minutes, so they are hard-boiled. You can do this in the morning and keep the cooled, unpeeled eggs in the fridge.
2. Run the eggs under cold water for 1 minute, then peel them and chop them roughly into a bowl.
3. Stir in the yoghurt, a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper, and mash it all together roughly with a fork.
4. Chop the tomato. Lay the wrap flat, spoon the egg along the middle, and top with the tomato and spinach.
5. 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

Eggs are one of the cheapest sources of protein, and swapping mayonnaise for yoghurt keeps the fat low. The tomato and spinach add vitamins and a fresh crunch.

Swaps

A little mustard or some chopped cress or spring onion in the egg mix. Grated carrot or sliced cucumber in the wrap. Serve the egg mixture on toast if you have no wrap.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 125 g lean beef mince (5% fat)
• 60 g long-grain white rice
• 1 small onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 clove garlic
• 60 g frozen peas
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ reduced-salt vegetable stock cube
• 350 ml boiling water
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

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

1. Peel the onion and chop it small. Peel the carrot and grate it on the coarse side of a grater. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Put them together in a covered container in the fridge.
2. Keep the mince in its pack, or tip it into a covered container, on the bottom shelf of the fridge, away from other food. If it was frozen, make sure it has fully defrosted.
3. Stand a wide saucepan or deep frying pan with a lid on the hob, ready, with the rice, the spices, the stock cube and the peas next to it.

At dinner time (about 5 minutes of work)

1. Heat the oil in the pan over a medium-high heat. Add the mince and cook for 4 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is brown all over with no pink left.
2. Add the onion, carrot and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the paprika and cumin for 30 seconds.
3. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Crumble in the stock cube, pour over the boiling water, and add a pinch of salt and some pepper.
4. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down, cover, and leave it for 12 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
5. Scatter the peas over the top, put the lid back on, and cook for 3 more minutes, until the rice is tender and has soaked up the liquid. Add a splash of water if it looks dry before the rice is cooked.
6. Fluff it with a fork and serve from the pan.

Why it is a healthy dinner

Only 125 g of lean mince is used, and the grated carrot, onion and peas make up the bulk of each spoonful, so it is lower in saturated fat than a plain meat dish. The rice cooks in the stock, so every grain carries flavour, and you need just 1 tsp of oil.

Swaps

A handful of sweetcorn or chopped pepper with the peas. Turkey mince for a lighter version. A pinch of chilli flakes or a squeeze of lime at the end. Brown rice needs about 10 more minutes and 100 ml more water.