Christmas countdown plan LUNCHES

Emma White - Nutritionist

FLASH SALE now on
Save 60% with annual membership*

Vegetarian/vegan

Bean Burritos

Bean Burrito

Serves 1 - 434 kcals per serving

Kcals 434
Fat 4.4g
Sat fat 1.6g
Carbs 79.7g
Sugar 5.7g
Fibre 13.9g
Protein 15.7g
Salt 2.1g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • ½ reduced salt vegetable stock cube
  • 50g brown rice, dried
  • 1 wholemeal wraps
  • 30g fresh tomato salsa
  • 1 small handful of shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1 small handful of shredded red cabbage
  • 1 tbsp sliced jalapeno peppers
  • ¼ 400g tin black beans, drained
  • 1 tsp taco seasoning mix

Method

  1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the stock cube and the rice. Mix together, reduce the heat to medium and cook the rice for 25 minutes.
  2. When the rice is nearly done, warm the wrap in the microwave for 30 seconds.
  3. Lay the wrap on a plate, top with the salsa, lettuce, cabbage and jalapenos.
  4. Drain the rice, then return to the pan with the beans and taco seasoning. Return to the heat and warm through for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
  5. Top the wrap with the rice and bean mix, then wrap up tightly and cut in half to serve.
Honey roast parsnip soup

Honey roast parsnip soup

Serves 4 - 180 kcals per serving

Kcals 180
Fat 5.7g
Sat fat 1g
Carbs 29.1g
Sugar 19g
Fibre 8.2g
Protein 5.9g
Salt 1.06g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 500g parsnips, peeled
  • 100g carrots, peeled
  • ½ medium red onion, diced
  • 3 sticks of celery
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 300ml skimmed milk
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes
  • 2 heaped tsp honey
  • Fresh thyme

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Take a few extra peelings from the parsnip and keep aside to make some parsnip crisps
  2. Dice the vegetables and put in a roasting dish, along with the parsnip shavings. Add the oil and toss to coat the vegetables.
  3. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme and roast for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the parsnip crisps. Drizzle the honey over the rest of the vegetables and roast for a further 10 minutes.
  5. Once cooked, transfer to a large pan, crumble in the stock cubes and add water to cover the vegetables.
  6. Bring to the boil and simmer for approx 15 minutes or until the parsnips are very soft.
  7. Finally add the milk and blend with a hand blender until smooth. Serve topped with parsnip crisps and fresh thyme. Add a wholemeal bread roll if you'd like (calories not included).
Cheese and tomato frittata

Cheese and tomato frittata

Serves 1 – 450 kcals per serving

Kcals 450
Fat 32g
Sat fat 11.9g
Carbs 4.3g
Sugar 3.5g
Fibre 1.3g
Protein 36.2g
Salt 1.5g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 15ml semi-skimmed milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Small handful fresh basil, shredded
  • 30g Italian hard cheese, grated

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas mark 6.
  2. Place a small deep-based frying pan or skillet over a medium heat and add the oil.
  3. Once hot, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl and add the milk and half of the cheese, whisk together until well combined and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Pour the egg mix into the pan and scatter over the fresh basil. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 3 minutes.
  6. Scatter over the remaining cheese and place the pan in the oven. Bake the frittata for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and there is no runny egg left.
Italian pasta salad

Italian pasta salad

Serves 1 – 348 kcals per serving

Kcals 348
Fat 10.7g
Sat fat 3.9g
Carbs 41.9g
Sugar 4.8g
Fibre 6.7g
Protein 18.6g
Salt 0.8g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 60g wholewheat fusilli
  • 5 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp dried Italian herbs
  • 50g lighter mozzarella cheese
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • Small handful rocket

Method

  1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, slice the cherry tomatoes into thirds.
  3. In a bowl, mix together the pasta, olive oil, basil and Italian herbs.
  4. Pour the pasta into your bowl, top with the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, then season with a pinch of salt and generous amount of pepper.
  5. Top with the rocket and enjoy.
Beans and cheese on toast

Beans and cheese on toast

Serves 1 – 399 kcals per serving

Kcals 399
Fat 8.8g
Sat fat 3.6g
Carbs 51.1g
Sugar 7.4g
Fibre 13g
Protein 21.6g
Salt 1.9g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 2 medium slices wholemeal bread
  • 10g low-fat spread
  • ½ 400g tin no-added-sugar beans
  • 15g reduced-fat cheddar cheese, finely grated

Method

  1. Toast the bread to your liking and top with the spread.
  2. Meanwhile, put the beans in a microwaveable bowl and cover.
  3. Cook on full power in the microwave for 90 seconds.
  4. Top the toast with the beans and finish with the finely grated cheddar.

Fish

Tuna jacket potato

Tuna jacket potato

Serves 1 – 424 kcals per serving

Kcals 4242
Fat 6g
Sat fat 0.9g
Carbs 61.2g
Sugar 10g
Fibre 8.5g
Protein 33.3g
Salt 1.23g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 300g white potato, raw
  • 145g tin tuna in spring water
  • 1 tbsp lighter-than-light mayonnaise
  • Handful of lettuce
  • 50g cucumber, cut into chunks
  • 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tsp balsamic glaze

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas mark 7.
  2. Microwave the potato on full power for 5 minutes.
  3. Pop the potato in the oven and cook for a further 20-25 minutes to crisp up the skin.
  4. Meanwhile, drain the tuna and mix in a bowl with the mayonnaise.
  5. Once the potato is done, cut open and top with the tuna.
  6. Serve with a salad of lettuce, cucumber and tomato, drizzled with the balsamic glaze.

Oily fish

Mackerel on toast

Mackerel on toast

Serves 1 – 408 kcals per serving

Kcals 408
Fat 14.6g
Sat fat 3.2g
Carbs 43.3g
Sugar 3.3g
Fibre 4g
Protein 24.6g
Salt 1.6g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 2 x 30g slices of sourdough
  • Small handful of lettuce
  • 125g tin mackerel in tomato sauce
  • ½ lime, cut into wedges

Method

  1. Lightly toast the sourdough slices.
  2. Top each slice with a little lettuce and then the mackerel.
  3. Squeeze over a little lime juice and enjoy.

Meat

Creamy pea and mint soup

Creamy pea and mint soup

Serves 4 - 340 kcals per serving

Kcals 340
Fat 17.8g
Sat fat 7.2g
Carbs 24.9g
Sugar 13.3g
Fibre 11.2g
Protein 21.9g
Salt 1.5g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 4 low-fat bacon medallions
  • 2 litres of water
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 handfuls of mint leaves
  • 800g frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 200ml half-fat crème fraîche

Method

  1. Pre-heat the grill to medium. Cook the medallions for 4-5 minutes until crisp, turning half way through. Set aside to cool. Once cool, chop into small pieces.
  2. Bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan and add a pinch of salt.
  3. Add the mint leaves and return to the boil. Then add the peas and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender.
  4. Strain the mint and peas and set aside the liquid.
  5. Add the peas and mint back into the pan with just enough of the liquid to cover them. Blend with a hand blender or food processor until smooth.
  6. Mix in the olive oil, most of the crème fraîche and season well. Blend until smooth.
  7. Reheat if needed and serve topped with a spoonful of crème fraîche and crispy bacon pieces.
Ham and cheese salad sandwich

Ham and cheese salad sandwich

Serves 1 – 362 kcals per serving

Kcals 362
Fat 16.5g
Sat fat 5.1g
Carbs 26.7g
Sugar 4g
Fibre 6.9g
Protein 24.6g
Salt 1g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 1 medium wholemeal seeded roll
  • 10g low-fat spread
  • 20g lettuce
  • 2 slices of tomato
  • 15g reduced-fat cheddar cheese, sliced
  • 2 slices of lean ham
  • 1 tsp light mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp mustard

Method

  1. Spread each side of your bread roll with the low-fat spread.
  2. Top the bottom of the roll with the lettuce, tomato, cheese and ham.
  3. Spread the mayonnaise and mustard of the top of the roll, and sandwich together.
Ham and pineapple tortilla pizza

Ham and pineapple tortilla pizza

Serves 1 – 356 kcals per serving

Kcals 356
Fat 11.3g
Sat fat 4.1g
Carbs 40.5g
Sugar 10.4g
Fibre 4.2g
Protein 22.7g
Salt 1.8g

Add recipe to your saved meals

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp passata
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp dried Italian herbs
  • Black pepper to season
  • 1 plain tortilla
  • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
  • 2 slices lean ham, chopped
  • 1 pineapple ring from a tin, chopped into chunks
  • 30g lighter mozzarella, shredded

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas mark 7.
  2. Combine the passata, garlic, olive oil, ½ the herbs and black pepper in a bowl.
  3. Place the tortilla on a large baking sheet. Spread the tomato sauce over the tortilla, using the back of a spoon to spread evenly, leaving a 1cm border around the edges.
  4. Scatter over the tomatoes, ham, pineapple and mozzarella. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the tortilla base begins to crisp at the edges, and the mozzarella is bubbling.
  5. Scatter over the Italian herbs and enjoy.

Nutritionist Emma White (ANutr), MSc Human Nutrition is passionate about how food science applies to the human body, and how the nutrients in what we eat affect us and ultimately have an impact on our health.

This site uses cookies to personalise content and ads, provide social media features and analyse our traffic. Find out more about how we use cookies.

Choose which cookies you allow us to use. You can read more about our Cookie Policy in our Privacy Policy.