Friday

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 1 ripe banana
• 2 eggs
• 30 g porridge oats
• 100 g plain Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 tsp olive oil

Method

1. Peel the banana and mash it very well with a fork in a bowl, until it is almost a purée. Beat in the eggs, then stir in the oats until you have a thick, wet batter. Leave it for 2 minutes so the oats soften. (Or blend it all in a jug with a stick blender for a smoother pancake.)
2. Heat half the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Spoon in half the batter as 2 small pancakes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden underneath and set around the edges. Flip carefully and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
3. Repeat with the rest of the oil and batter. Stack the pancakes on a plate and spoon the yoghurt on top.

Why it is a high-protein start

Eggs and a good spoonful of Greek yoghurt give about 30 g of protein, and the pancakes are made with banana and oats instead of flour and sugar. They are soft, so keep them small and flip them gently.

Swaps

Frozen berries heated for 1 minute on top. A drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon. Peanut butter on the pancakes.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 80 g cooked chicken breast slices
• 30 g strong Cheddar, sliced or grated
• 1 medium tomato
• 2 slices wholemeal bread
• 1 tsp plain Greek-style yoghurt, in place of butter or mayonnaise
• 1 pinch black pepper

Method

1. Spread the yoghurt on both slices of bread, with a little pepper.
2. Slice the tomato. Layer the chicken, cheese and tomato on one slice and top with the other.
3. Cut in half. For a packed lunch, wrap it in foil and keep it in a bag with a cool pack, and eat it within 4 hours.

Why it is a high-protein lunch

Cooked chicken breast is one of the leanest proteins, and the cheese adds more. Together they give about 36 g of protein, and the wholemeal bread adds fibre.

Swaps

A handful of spinach or lettuce in the sandwich. Sliced cucumber in place of the tomato. A wholemeal wrap in place of the bread.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 130 g salmon fillet, skin on or off
• 60 g basmati rice
• 80 g frozen shelled edamame beans
• 100 g green beans
• 1 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon juice (from a fresh lemon)
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp olive oil

Prep ahead (about 5 minutes, any time that day)

1. Mix the soy sauce, honey, lemon juice and ginger in a small bowl. Pour half into a second small bowl to keep clean for serving.
2. Put the salmon on a baking tray lined with baking paper and spoon the glaze from the first bowl over it. Cover and put it on the bottom shelf of the fridge, cooking it within about 6 hours. Trim the tops off the green beans.

At dinner time (about 15 minutes)

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Bake the salmon for 10 to 12 minutes, until it is opaque and flakes easily.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rice in a pan of boiling water for 10 to 11 minutes, or following the packet, adding the edamame for the last 3 minutes. Drain.
3. Steam or boil the green beans for 4 minutes, until tender. Toss them with the oil.
4. Spoon the rice and edamame into a bowl, add the beans and lay the salmon on top. Spoon over the clean glaze you kept back.

Why it is a high-protein dinner

Salmon gives about 27 g of protein plus omega-3 fats, and the edamame in the rice adds another 10 g. Together with the rice and beans, dinner is about 43 g of protein and mostly cooked on one tray.

Swaps

Trout or cod in place of the salmon. Broccoli or peas in place of the green beans. Frozen peas in place of the edamame.