SOME LUNCH IDEAS TO GET YOUR DIET STARTED

Apricot and cottage cheese sandwiches

Dried apricots x 1 handfuls
Cottage cheese x 3 tbsp
Lettuce x 1 cups
Wholemeal bread (sliced) x 2 slices

1. Thinly slice the dried apricots and stir into the cottage cheese.
2. Shred the lettuce.
3. Top the slices of wholemeal bread with the cottage cheese mixture and shredded lettuce.



Avocado and prawn pasta salad

Prawns - fresh or frozen x 50 gram(s)
Avocado x 1
Little gem lettuce x 1
Plain low-fat yoghurt x 2 tbsp
Tomato puree x 0.25 tbsp
Pasta x 100 gram(s)

1. Add pasta shells to a pot of boiling water and cook according to instructions - about 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, remove the peel and the stone from the avocado and chop flesh into small chunks.
3. In a separate bowl mix together the tomato puree and yoghurt.
3. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and run under a cold tap to cool.
4. Combine pasta, prawns and avocado with the yoghurt dressing.
5. Season to taste and serve with lettuce leaves.



Bacon, lettuce and tomato baguette

Bacon x 100 gram(s)
Tomato(es) x 1
Lettuce x 1 cups
Plain low-fat yoghurt x 1 tbsp
Wholemeal baguette x 0.5

1. Grill the bacon under a pre-heated grill.
2. Slice the tomatoes and prepare the lettuce.
3. Slice open the wholemeal French bread and spread on the yoghurt.
4. Fill the bread with a layer of lettuce, then the tomato and bacon.



Bean salad with jacket potato

Onion(s) x 0.5
Cucumber x 0.25
Tomato(es) x 2
Haricot beans x 2 tbsp
Kidney beans x 2 tbsp
Jacket potato x 1 (medium)
Lettuce x 1 cups
Olive oil x 1 tbsp

1. Scrub the potato, then dry and prick several times with a sharp knife.
2. To microwave: cook one potato (225g/8oz) for 6 min on full power (800W), turn halfway through cooking. Allow to stand for 1-2 min before serving. ( i dont love microwave cooking, oven tastes better)
3. To oven bake: rub a few drops of olive oil into the potato skin, place the potato in a pre-heated oven at 200°C or gas mark 6 on a baking tray. Bake for 90 min or until soft.
4. Create a bean salsa by combining chopped onion, cucumber and tomato with the drained and rinsed beans.
5. Serve the salsa with a jacket potato and a green salad.



Cheese, ham and salad bagel with veggie sticks (bagels are a very dense starch, so you could substitute for 3 ryvitas)

Bagel(s) x 1
Cheese x 50 gram(s) or cottage cheese if wanting to lose weight
Sliced cooked ham x 100 gram(s)
Celery (sticks) x 2
Baby sweetcorn x 80 gram(s)
Red pepper x 0.5
Lettuce x 1 cups

1. Slice the cheese and place in the bagel along with the ham and lettuce.
2. Serve with baby sweetcorn, strips of pepper and celery sticks.


You could have a low fat yoghurt for dessert, or a piece of fruit, always have water after each meal, and keep your fluids up throughout the day....