Tuesday

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 100 g strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 ripe banana
• 200 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 25 g porridge oats

Method

1. Hull the strawberries. Peel the banana and break it into pieces.
2. Put everything in a blender or a tall jug and blend for 1 minute, until smooth. (A stick blender works well in a jug.) Add a splash more milk if it is too thick.
3. Pour into a glass, or into a bottle to drink on the go.

Why it is a healthy start

The oats make the smoothie thick and filling and give fibre, while the banana sweetens it, so it keeps you going for hours. It is much more filling than a fruit juice.

Swaps

Frozen strawberries make it thicker and colder, like a milkshake. A spoonful of Greek yoghurt or peanut butter for extra protein.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp plain Greek-style yoghurt
• 2 slices wholemeal bread
• 1 tomato
• 30 g cucumber (about 3 cm)
• 1 pinch black pepper

Method

1. Put the eggs in a small pan of boiling water and boil for 9 minutes. Cool them under cold running water for 2 minutes, then peel them.
2. Mash the eggs with a fork in a bowl with the yoghurt and pepper.
3. Slice the tomato and cucumber. Spread the egg on one slice of bread, add the tomato and cucumber, and top with the other slice. Cut in half.

Why it is a healthy lunch

Eggs are an easy source of protein, and yoghurt gives the same creaminess as mayonnaise with much less fat. The tomato and cucumber keep it fresh and juicy.

Swaps

A handful of spinach or rocket in the sandwich. A wholemeal wrap in place of the bread. A pinch of paprika on the egg.

Ingredients (1 portion)

• 150 g chicken breast
• 75 g dried wholewheat penne or fusilli
• 80 g frozen peas
• 100 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp green pesto (about 20 g)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice (from a fresh lemon)
• 1 pinch black pepper

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

1. Cut the chicken into thin strips, about 1 cm wide. Put it in a covered container on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Wash your hands, the board and the knife.
2. Halve the cherry tomatoes and keep them in a covered container.

At dinner time (about 15 minutes)

1. Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water for 10 to 11 minutes, or following the packet. Add the peas for the last 2 minutes. Keep a mugful of the cooking water, then drain.
2. While it cooks, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, turning, until golden and white all the way through, with no pink.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, until they just start to soften.
4. Tip the drained pasta and peas into the frying pan with the pesto, lemon juice and a splash of the cooking water. Stir for 1 minute, until the pasta is coated and glossy. Season with pepper.

Why it is a healthy dinner

Wholewheat pasta gives fibre and the chicken gives lean protein, and the peas and tomatoes make it nearly half vegetables. A spoonful of pesto gives a lot of flavour for very little oil.

Swaps

A courgette, sliced, cooked with the chicken. A handful of spinach stirred in at the end. Tinned white beans or a tin of tuna in place of the chicken.