Week 3 Meal Plan
Chef Frances Buckley MSc
Week 3 sees the release of Days 5 and 6 in our 8 Day Meal Plan. Feel free to swap out a day for the recipes below, or mix and match the plan throughout the week.
All ingredients listed can be found in your local Dunnes Stores - remember to check the Wholefoods section as well as the Free From!
Always check the Food List or our app when shopping.
Day 5
Breakfast
Breakfast rice with apricots
Serves: 4. Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 200g brown rice
- 200ml low fat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 100g dried apricots
- 400ml low fat Greek style yoghurt
- 80g chopped walnuts
Method
- Add the rice to a large, non-stick saucepan with 600ml water, low fat milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the rice is softened.
- Put the apricots into a heatproof bowl with 100ml water and cook for 2 minutes on high heat and set aside.
- Stir in half the yogurt into the apricots. Spoon the rice into bowls and top with the rest of the apricots and the walnuts.
| Nutrition Information per 100g | |
| Calories (kcal) | 183kcal |
Total Fat (g) Saturated (g) | 6.5g 0.8g |
Carbohydrates (g) Of which are sugars (g) | 22g 7.2g |
| Salt (g) | .07g |
| Protein (g) | 8.3g |
Day 5
Lunch
Spiced pepper soup
Serves: 6 (Can be frozen in portions for a later day). Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tin of butterbeans, drained
- 1 large red pepper
- 2 sticks of celery
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste
- 2 roughly chopped onions
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1 gluten free stock cube
- Handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- Slice the pepper in half and scoop out the seeds. Roughly chop the pepper and the tomatoes.
- Pour oil into a saucepan and heat over a medium heat. Add in the chopped onions, garlic, pepper, oregano and smoked paprika. Soften the veg for 5-6 minutes.
- Add the puree and chopped tomatoes and continue to cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the butter beans and add them into the vegetables.
- Pour 700ml boiling water into a jug and add the stock cube. Add this to the saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Blend with a hand blender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.
Tip:
Crumble feta cheese on top before serving for extra protein.
| Nutrition Information per 100g | |
| Calories (kcal) | 60kcal |
Total Fat (g) Saturated (g) | 1.6g 0.3g |
Carbohydrates (g) Of which are sugars (g) | 6.8g 3.2g |
| Salt (g) | 0.14g |
| Protein (g) | 2.4g |
Day 5
Dinner
Chicken skewers with celery and almond salad
Serves: 4. Prep time: 40 minutes. Cook time: 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- 400g diced chicken breast
- 8 firm button mushrooms
- 1 medium courgette, cut into rounds
- 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 8 even slices
Ingredients for marinade
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 2 tbsp low fat Greek style yoghurt
Ingredients for salad
- 4 sticks of celery
- 20g flaked almonds
- 1 tin sliced water chestnuts
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
Method
- Starting with mushroom on each skewer, then chicken, and remaining vegetables, fill each skewer until all of the chicken and vegetables are used.
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and using a pastry brush paint the marinade on to the skewers, covering completely. Leave for 30 minutes.
- Heat the grill or air fryer.
- To grill: cook for 8 minutes and turn, cook for another 8 minutes. To air-fry: place on a liner and cook for 12 minutes at 190◦c.
- Chop the celery, and mix it with all the other salad ingredients in a bowl. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavours to mingle.
| Nutrition Information per 100g | |
| Calories (kcal) | 61kcal |
Total Fat (g) Saturated (g) | 1.4g 0.2g |
Carbohydrates (g) Of which are sugars (g) | 3.2g 2.2g |
| Salt (g) | 0.12g |
| Protein (g) | 8.3g |
Day 6
Breakfast
Breakfast tortilla
Serves: 4. Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, sliced
- 4 tbsp light olive oil
- 25g butter
- 400g Maris piper potatoes, peeled, and diced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 50g baby spinach leaves
- 4 vine tomatos, diced
- 8 eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- Put a large non-stick frying pan on a low heat. Cook the onion in the butter and oil until softened but not browned.
- Add the potatoes to the pan, then cover and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. When the potatoes are soft add the spinach leaves allow to soften then add the eggs.
- Put the lid back on the pan and leave the tortilla to cook gently. After 20 minutes, turn it over to brown the top.
- Sprinkle on parsley and diced tomato to serve.
Tortilla can be served hot or cold.
| Nutrition Information per 100g | |
| Calories (kcal) | 93kcal |
Total Fat (g) Saturated (g) | 5.3g 1.5g |
Carbohydrates (g) Of which are sugars (g) | 6g 1.7g |
| Salt (g) | 0.14g |
| Protein (g) | 4.4g |
Day 6
Lunch
Spicy peanut chicken
Serves: 4. Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp light olive oil
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 red chillis, finely diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 40g smooth peanut butter
- 200ml low fat coconut milk
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Method
- Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium heat. Brown the chicken and set it aside.
- Fry the onion until softened. Add the garlic, chilli, and ginger and fry in the oil for 1 minute (add another tablespoon if needed).
- Add the garam masala. Stir in the peanut butter, coconut low fat milk, and tomatoes, and simmer. Add back the chicken to the pan and add the chopped coriander, holding some back for serving.
- Cook for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve with the remaining coriander.
Ideal to serve with gluten free pitta bread or naan bread, or with rice
| Nutrition Information per 100g | |
| Calories (kcal) | 134kcal |
Total Fat (g) Saturated (g) | 8.6g 2.6g |
Carbohydrates (g) Of which are sugars (g) | 3.6g 2.5g |
| Salt (g) | 0.11g |
| Protein (g) | 9.8g |
Day 6
Dinner
Tossed Spinach Salad with Chicken, Orange, and Nuts
Serves: 4. Prep time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 100g Dunnes Stores Tender Baby Spinach Leaves, washed and dried
- 20g washed rocket leaves
- 20g Dunnes Stores Wholefoods Pine Nuts, toasted
- 50g Dunnes Stores Wholefoods Walnut Halves/Hazelnuts
- 160g of cooked chicken, shredded
- 4 mandarins or easy peelers, peeled and segmented
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
For the Dressing
- 40ml freshly squeezed orange juice
- 60ml Dunnes Stores Pure Olive Oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- A pinch of salt, cracked black pepper
Method
- Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a glass jar. Put the lid on and shake vigorously until mixed.
- In a bowl, put the chicken, orange, nuts, and tomatoes. Add half the dressing and toss this all gently through the spinach and rocket. Serve with gluten free wholegrain bread.
Note: This salad could also be served for dinner by increasing the amount of chicken and serving it with baby boiled potatoes.
| Nutrition Information per portion | |
| Calories (kcal) | 291kcal |
Total Fat (g) Saturated (g) | 21g 2.6g |
Carbohydrates (g) Of which are sugars (g) | 8.8g 8.4g |
| Fibre (g) | 2.6g |
| Protein (g) | 15g |
| Salt (g) | 0.57g |
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