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Easy summer slimming

Carmel Thomason
23/ 6/2008

THE sun is out, which means there is no hiding under winter woollies any more.

The diet we've been putting off for months suddenly becomes more pressing as thoughts of hitting the beach get closer.

But kick starting that diet doesn't have to be painful.

Active

Summer is the perfect time to start eating more healthily. Gone are the cold, dark winter nights which encourage comfort eating.

Now is the time to make the most of the light nights to become more active - you'll be surprised what difference a regular 30 minute walk will do for your fitness levels.

It is also a good time to experiment with nutritious salads and fruits, creating good eating habits that will last you throughout the year.

Slimming World is about changing your eating habits for the long-term, so that you continue to enjoy your food while reaching and maintaining a healthy weight at the same time.

Its Food Optimising diet plan is a system based on filling up on healthy nutritious foods while still enjoying a little of what you fancy - so you never feel hungry or deprived.

The eating plan is combined with attending the weekly groups, where you can share your experiences, tips and ideas with other members to keep motivated and inspired.

'Free' foods

Slimmers choose whether to follow a 'Green' day when they can enjoy unlimited amounts of complex carbohydrates like pasta, rice, potatoes and pulses as well as fruit and vegetables, or an 'Original' day eating loads of lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruit.

There are also what are called 'Free' foods, shown in bold on the eating plan, of which you can fill up on as much as you want.

Every day you can also choose a selection of `healthy extras', such as cereal, wholemeal bread or cheese, designed to make sure you're getting all the fibre, calcium and vitamins your body needs for optimum health.

Any foods that aren't `free' or `healthy extras' have a `syn' value, of which you can enjoy five to 15 syns a day so you don't have to feel deprived of your favourite treats.

Cut out our special summer five-day menu card to try it for yourself.

The following recipes and more can be found in Slimming World's Simply Summer recipe book available from Slimming World groups.

For more information about Slimming World or to find your nearest group call 0844 897 8000 or visit www.slimmingworld.com.

THE SIMPLY SUMMER FIVE-DAY PLAN...

MONDAY

Breakfast
A plateful of baked beans, poached eggs and grilled tomatoes on 2 slices wholemeal toast (400g loaf), with a very low fat natural yogurt and slices of melon.

Lunch
Herbed couscous salad
(Free on Green)
255g/9oz dried couscous
1 cucumber, diced
6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 mangoes, peeled, stoned and chopped
6 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
6 tbsp freshly chopped mint
For the dressing
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mint sprigs to garnish
Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl, pour over 397ml/14fl oz of boiling water, stir, cover and leave to stand for 20 minutes. Transfer to a large serving dish.
Add the chopped vegetables and mango to the couscous with the coriander and mint and mix together.
To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over the couscous salad and toss well. Divide the salad between four serving plates and serve garnished with mint.

Dinner
Slimming World chips: par-boiled potato chips, sprayed with Fry Light and baked in the oven until soft and golden, served with Quorn sausages and mushy peas, followed by fruit salad made with nectarines, strawberries and pineapple.

TUESDAY

Breakfast
A big ham omelette, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms; a bowl of 28g/1oz Nestle Honey Nut Shredded Wheat and milk from your daily allowance.

Lunch
Oriental salmon salad
Deseed and chop a chilli and crush a garlic clove. Mix with 1 tsp each of ground ginger and coriander. Rub the spices over a piece of fresh salmon and set aside. Trim bunches of green beans, courgettes and a yellow pepper, blanch and refresh under cold water. Shred a small bunch of spring onions. Chop a chilli and mix with lime zest and juice and vinegar and pour over the salad. Spray the salmon with a low fat spray oil and grill or fry for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. Serve the salmon on a bed of the salad. Garnish with finely shredded spring onions.
Follow with low-fat banoffee: a Mullerlight toffee yogurt with sliced banana.

Dinner
Chicken and pepper kebabs (Free on Original)
4 x 142g chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
1 tbsp ground coriander
2tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli powder
3 tbsp lemon juice
2tbsp very low fat natural yoghurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 red peppers and 2 green peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
Fine ribbons of carrot and cucumber to serve
Roughly chop the chicken and place in a bowl. Mix the garlic with the herbs, spices, lemon juice, yoghurt and seasoning, stir into the chicken and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
Mix the pepper pieces into the chicken and then thread the chicken and peppers alternately onto eight skewers.
Place the skewers under a hot grill and cook for 7-8 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot with a carrot and cucumber salad.

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast
Boiled eggs served with soldiers made from 2 slices of wholemeal toast with a generous bowl of summer berries and very low fat natural yogurt.

Lunch
Chunky veg chilli made with kidney beans, canned chopped tomatoes, sweetcorn and chopped mixed peppers, seasoned with chilli powder, served with potato wedges topped with 1oz/28g Cheddar cheese, followed by one or two juicy peaches.

Dinner
Rice, tomato and bean stuffed peppers (Free on Green)
4 red peppers halved and deseeded
4 spring onions, finely chopped
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
255g/9oz boiled rice
400g can baked beans in tomato sauce
215g can red kidney beans, drained
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 2000 C/Gas 6
Place the prepared peppers skin side down on a baking sheet. Place the spring onions, cherry tomatoes and garlic in a bowl with the cooked rice, baked beans, kidney beans, chopped parsley, season to taste and mix well. Divide the mixture between the pepper halves and bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot with a mixed leaf salad.

THURSDAY

Breakfast
Strawberry and pineapple fruit skewers with 4 Ryvita Original covered with 2 level tsp reduced-sugar jam.

Lunch
Omelette filled with sliced mushrooms and ham, served with a large mixed green leaf salad, followed by a big bowl of strawberries with very low fat fromage frais with a little sweetener stirred in.

Dinner
Steak with orange pepper purée (Free on Original)
2 orange peppers halved and deseeded
Fry Light
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 x 170g/6oz rump steaks, trimmed of all visible fat
4 courgettes
198g/7oz baby leaf spinach
Prepare the purée: grill the peppers until charred, place in an airtight bag for 10 minutes then peel away the skin and roughly chop. Heat a pan sprayed with Fry Light and sauté the garlic and peppers until soft. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Season well and set aside.
Cook the steaks in a ridged griddle pan or grill under a medium heat until cooked to your liking.
Meanwhile peel the courgettes with a potato peeler to make ribbons. Spray a pan with Fry Light, add the courgette ribbons and baby spinach and sauté until just tender.
Divide the pepper purée between four plates, top with the steak and decorate with the spinach and courgettes. Serve immediately, as it is or with more vegetables.

FRIDAY

Breakfast
1oz/28g Shreddies with milk*; a plateful of scrambled egg, grilled tomatoes and baked beans.

Lunch
A chunky jacket potato with fruity slaw: shredded cabbage, carrot, apple, orange and 2 level tbsp Hellmann's Extra Light Mayonnaise, then a big bunch of grapes or some cherries.

Dinner
Spinach and courgette lasagne (Free on Green)
Fry Light
4 courgettes, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
180g pack baby leaf spinach
400g chopped tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
397g/14oz very low fat natural fromage frais
100g/3½oz Quark
1 egg, beaten
A pinch of nutmeg
12 x 14g/½oz lasagne sheets
Preheat the oven to 2000 C/Gas 6. Spray a pan with Fry Light and cook the courgettes, onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes, season well and cook for a further 6-8 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, mix together the fromage frais, quark, egg and nutmeg until smooth and season well.
Spray a rectangular dish with Fry Light and spoon half the courgette mixture into the base. Top with 6 lasagne sheets and spread over half the fromage frais mixture. Top with the remaining courgette mixture and lasagne sheets and finish with a layer of the fromage frais mixture. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden. Serve immediately.


In addition to the meal plan each day you can enjoy...

(Syns Selection: Choose five to 15 syns each day from the following list. Count the numbers to calculate your syn value.)

Milk allowance:
each day 350ml skimmed milk or 250ml semi-skimmed milk for hot drinks, cereals, as part of a meal or to drink on its own.

Drinks
1 sachet Cadbury/Options Chocolate Drink 2
25ml/1fl oz any spirit 2½
142ml/5fl oz glass wine 5
284ml/1/2 pint beer or lager 5

Biscuits & Cakes
1 chocolate finger/ginger thin 1½
1 cheese straw/cream cracker 2
1 chocolate coated mini roll 6

Chocolate & Sweets
2-finger Kit Kat 5½
1 Cadbury Fudge 6
34g tube Polos 7
35g bag Revels 8½
Ice Creams
Fab Ice Lolly 4
Calippo 4½
Solero fruity 3½

Crisps & Snacks
1 bag French Fries/Golden Lights 4½
1 bag Ryvita Minis 5
A 28g bag Quaker Seasoned Crispbread Snacks 6
Meal Accompaniments
1 level tbsp brown sauce/ketchup 1
4 level tbsp gravy (made without fat) 1
1 level tbsp reduced calorie salad cream 1½
1 level tsp butter 2
57g/2oz ice cream 5

Free food snacks you can eat whenever you want
Fresh or frozen fruit of your choice, eaten au naturel or stirred into or smothered in any of the following:
very low fat natural fromage frais
very low fat natural yogurt
Danone Shape Lasting Satisfaction Yogurt
Müllerlight Yogurt
Onken Lite BioPot Yogurt
Or dip chunky carrot or celery sticks, cucumber slices or cherry tomatoes into a very low fat yoghurt and herb dressing.
Top tips for successful summer weight loss
Enjoy fresh or frozen fruit freely.

Vegetables can be fresh, frozen or canned – just make sure you eat plenty.

Trim all visible fat off meat, remove skin from poultry. Cook any way you prefer as long as no fat is added.

Aim to have eight glasses of fluid a day and vary your drinks to include water or low-calorie drinks - sorry, alcohol doesn't count!