The Shape Up Challenge - Week 6

Dinner

Choose one of the following meals (all are under or around 600 calories). Finish each meal with a piece of fruit or a mixed fruit salad that includes pear, melon, clementine, peach, papaya, nectarine or kiwi:

1. Spicy beef stir-fry (for this version, replace peanut oil with 1 tbsp sunflower seed oil), serving of brown rice (40g uncooked weight), large portion cooked cauliflower and broccoli.
2. Moroccan chicken with onions and tomato (for this version, use only 1 tbsp oil), orange and red onion salad (1 large orange, segmented, ¼ red onion, 1 tsp red wine vinegar), cous cous (40g uncooked weight).
3. Prawns with spinach and tofu (for this version, use 2 servings as a portion), served with buckwheat noodles (50g uncooked weight). Large handful strawberries or mixed berries.
4. Salmon with mushroom salsa (for this version, omit butter when sauteing mushrooms ), puy lentils (60g uncooked weight, cooked with 175-200ml vegetable stock), large serving cooked broocoli.
5. Warm orangey quinoa salad (see recipe below), large serving cooked French beans.
6. Tuna with soy sauce, ginger and chilli, soba noodles (50g uncooked weight), large mixed leaf salad (use some of the recipe sauce as a dressing for this).
7. Lentils with lemon grass and lime leaves (Adapted from Wynnie Chan's book, Fresh Chinese), 150g steamed silken firm tofu, large serving cooked baby pak choi.

Quinoa salad

Ingredients:

250g quinoa
500ml vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
25g dried apricots
50g raisins
25g dried cranberries
2 spring onions
125g toasted pecans
2 large oranges, segmented
2 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
1 red onion, chopped finely
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tbsp virgin olive oil

1. Bring stock, quinoa and bay leaf to boil in a saucepan, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all the stock has been absorbed.
2. Remove from heat, fluff up the grains with a fork before adding the remaining ingredients, toss and mix thoroughly before serving.

Lentils with lemon grass and lime leaves

Ingredients:

½ tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp sesame oil
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 red chillies, sliced
475g Puy or dried brown lentils, washed and rinsed
750ml - 1 litre vegetable stock
2 dried kaffir lime leaves
2 lemon grass stalks, chopped into 2.5cm pieces and crushed
1 tsp grated lime rind
2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
Large handful of torn Thai basil leaves

1. Heat the oils in a saucepan over a medium-high heat until hot, add the shallots, garlic and chillies and saute for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the lentils and stock and bring to the boil, stir in the lime leaves, lime rind, soy sauce, lower the heat and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to add more water to the stock depending on the type of lentils you use. Make sure the lentils don't dry up.
3. Garnish with torn basil leaves and extra lemon grass stalks

Suggested snacks (V) (twice a day but not the same one twice)

• Pot of Bio Yoghurt
• Dried fruit
• Vegetable crudites with 30g low-fat soft cheese
• Fruit (any kind)
• Air-popped popcorn
• Warming bowl of soup

Suggested treats (twice a week)

• 25g Chocolate (any kind)
• 30g low-fat Crisps (any kind)
• Glass of wine

Other tips

• Top-up with fruit, vegetables or wholegrain bread if you get hungry
• Include at least 4-5 glasses of water a day - but aim for 8
• Limit tea and coffee to twice a day, and use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk

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