Monday

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 40 g porridge oats
• 120 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 50 g plain Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (about 15 g)
• 1 ripe banana

Method

1. The evening before: mash half the banana in a jar or bowl with a fork until smooth, then stir in the peanut butter. Slice the other half and keep it for the morning, covered, in the fridge.
2. Add the oats, milk and yoghurt and stir until no dry oat is left.
3. Cover and put it in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
4. In the morning: stir, add a splash of milk if it is too thick, and top with the banana slices. Eat it cold, or warm it in the microwave for 1 minute.

Why it is a healthy start

Soaked oats are filling and gentle on the stomach, and the peanut butter and yoghurt add protein. The mashed banana sweetens it, so no sugar is needed.

Swaps

A pinch of cinnamon. Chopped apple or a few frozen berries in place of the banana. Use all milk if you have no yoghurt.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 1 wholemeal pitta bread
• 60 g hummus (about 3 tbsp)
• 1 carrot
• 20 g baby spinach
• Black pepper

Method

1. Peel the carrot and grate it on the coarse side of a grater.
2. Warm the pitta in the toaster for 30 to 60 seconds until it puffs, then cut along one long edge to open a pocket.
3. Spread the hummus inside, then fill it with the carrot and spinach and add some black pepper. To take it with you, pack the filling separately and fill the pitta just before eating.

Why it is a healthy lunch

Hummus is made from chickpeas, so it gives plant protein and fibre. The raw carrot and spinach add crunch, vitamins and very few calories.

Swaps

Cucumber or a sliced tomato in place of the carrot. A squeeze of lemon. A boiled egg or some cottage cheese for more protein.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 1 portion beef and mushroom ragu from the freezer (one quarter of Sunday's batch, about 350 g)
• 75 g dried pasta shapes or spaghetti (wholewheat if you like it)
• Splash of water, black pepper

The night before, or in the morning (1 minute)

1. Take one portion of ragu out of the freezer and put it on a plate or in a bowl on the bottom shelf of the fridge, to defrost slowly. A frozen portion needs about 8 hours, so overnight or from the morning is about right. Never defrost it on the worktop.

At dinner time (about 5 minutes of work)

1. Put the pasta in a large pan of boiling water and cook it following the packet (usually 10 to 12 minutes for wholewheat).
2. Tip the ragu into a saucepan with 2 tbsp of water. Heat it over a medium heat, stirring now and then, for 6 to 8 minutes, until it is bubbling and steaming hot all the way through. In the microwave, put it in a covered bowl and heat it for 3 minutes, stir, and heat for a further 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Save a small cupful of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
4. Toss the pasta with the hot ragu, adding a splash of the pasta water if it looks dry. Season with black pepper and serve.

Why it is a healthy dinner

The mushrooms and vegetables in the ragu mean each portion has less beef than a plain mince sauce, with lots of fibre and very little added oil. Cooking the pasta fresh gives you a proper hot meal with almost no effort.

Swaps

Serve it over a jacket potato or rice in place of pasta. A handful of baby spinach stirred in as it heats. A little grated cheese on top, or a pinch of chilli flakes.