It can be hard to create a meal plan and stick to it, especially when there are so many alternatives which are easier for the busy lives we all live. BARE Guide creator, Leah Itsines shares her tips on how you can prepare, and stick to your meal plan. She has also shared her 7-day meal plan guide with recipes with us!
image via pinterest
How to prep for meal plan
Why this plan was developed and how it’s beneficial for achieving goals
Any tips on sticking to a meal plan
Any tips for variations
7 DAY MEAL PLAN
Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oats Recipe
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
1 small banana
1 cup milk
1/2 cups of oats
1 tsp cacao powder
1 tsp desiccated coconut
5 fresh raspberries (raspberries, blueberries or strawberries!)
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Method:
1. Add oats into a container.
2. Add banana, almond milk, cacao, dessicated coconut to a blender and blend until mixture is smooth and runny.
3. Pour the mixture over the oats into the container and give it a good mix! Make sure the oats and the smoothie are mixed well.
4. Place in the fridge overnight. Top with berries in the morning.
Quinoa & Zucchini Mini Loafs Recipe
Serves: 8 (1 muffin is a serve)
Prep Time: 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 Minutes
Freezes well: Yes
Ingredients:
2 zucchinis, grated
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
80g feta cheese, crumbled
8 eggs, whisked
130g lean leg ham, sliced thinly
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp basil, chopped thinly
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Cook quinoa according to packet instructions.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add zucchini, carrot, ham, salt, pepper, basil and the eggs. Mix well until all is combined well. Add cooked quinoa and mix through.
4. In a mini loaf tin (see above image) divide the mixture between 8 sections evenly. If you do not have a mini loaf tin, use a large muffin tin.
5. Sprinkle feta over the top and place into the oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Tuna Cream Cheese Crisp Bread Recipe
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
95g (1 small tin) of tuna in brine
1.5 tbsp cream cheese
3 medium cherry tomatoes,
halved 2-3 basil leaves, chopped
3 wholegrain crispbread
Salt and pepper on top.
Method:
1. Spread the cream cheese over the bottom of the crisp bread.
2. Top with cherry tomatoes, tuna, salt and pepper.
3. Eat!
Thai Chicken Patties with Sweet Potato, Rocket Salad, & Avocado Recipe
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Freezes well: Chicken patties and sweet potato are freezable
Ingredients:
150g chicken mince, raw weight
1⁄2 tsp ground coriander
1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
1⁄4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1⁄2 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
olive oil spray
1⁄2 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
1 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
1⁄2 tbsp (20ml) fish sauce
1 egg white
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 avocado, sliced thinly
60g baby rocket leaves
50g couscous, uncooked
Lime yoghurt:
2 tbsp yoghurt
small squeeze of lime 1/2 small garlic, crushed
Lime wedges and coriander leaves to serve
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 2 trays with baking paper.
2. Cook couscous according to packet instructions.
3. Place the ground coriander, ginger, chilli, salt and pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the sweet potato and toss to coat. Tumble onto a tray, spray with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes until golden and tender. Remove from the oven and cool.
4. Meanwhile, combine the chicken, lemongrass, spring onions, fish sauce, egg white, salt and pepper in a bowl. Shape into 3 patties and place on the second lined tray. Spray with olive oil, bake for 10 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool.
5. Add all ingredients under “lime yoghurt” in a small bowl and mix well.
6. Slice the avocado and squeeze over some lime to stop it from turning brown. Place the brown rice in a bowl, then rocket and sweet potato. Top with chicken patties and avocado, serve with an extra wedge of lime and coriander leaves. (Patties can be eaten reheated or cold).
Mexican Meatballs with Rice and Salsa Recipe
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
130g raw beef mince
1⁄3 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Salsa:
1⁄2 cup canned corn kernels
1⁄2 small red capsicum, de-seeded and chopped
1⁄2 small green capsicum, chopped
1⁄2 medium red onion,diced
1/2 small handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
10g cheddar cheese, grated
Spray oil
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a tray with baking paper.
2. Cook rice according to packet instructions, rinse under cold water to cool.
3. Combine the mince, spices, salt and pepper in a bowl. Roll into 3-4 balls and place on the lined tray.
4. Bake for 12 minutes until cooked. Remove from the oven, cool slightly before refrigerating.
5. Add the capsicums, corn, onion, coriander, lime juice and olive oil. Stir to combine, season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Build your meal! Add rice, salsa, meatballs and the grated cheese and eat!
Boiled Egg & Chorizo ShakShuka Recipe
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 boiled eggs
1⁄2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
30g chorizo, sliced
1 Garlic, crushed
1⁄2 Brown onion, diced
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 thick slice of wholemeal toast
60g feta cheese, sprinkled on top
Spray oil
Method:
1. Boil two eggs in a pot of water for 8-10 minutes (hard boiled) and set aside.
In a small pan, spray olive oil and heat over a medium heat.
2. Add onion, garlic and chorizo into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until cooked to you liking.
3. Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper to the pan and stir for a further 3 minutes.
4. Place the tomato mixture into a bowl and add peeled eggs and a sprinkle of feta. Serve with a piece of wholemeal toast!
Apple with Nut Butter Recipe
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 1 minute
Ingredients:
1 medium apple (green, red), sliced into pieces
1 tbsp nut butter, i.e. peanut, almond butter
Method:
1. Smear nut butter over apple pieces and eat!
Banana and Blueberry Loaf Recipe
Makes: 8 slices
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 1 slice is one serve
Ingredients:
1 & 1⁄4 cup almond meal
3 very Ripe Bananas, Mashed
1⁄4 cup Raw Honey
1 cup Fresh blueberries
3 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of cinnamon
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Place all ingredients in a bowl together except the berries!
3. Use a spoon to combine all ingredients together.
4. Once the mixture is thick in consistency, fold the berries in with a spoon.
5. Pour into a pre lined cake tin and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until brown. 6. Using a skewer, poke it deep into the cake, if it comes out clean, it’s ready!
TIP: If you are allergic to almonds, you can use any other nut meal. Flour also works, but will give a different consistency.
Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. Pesto
100g chicken breast, raw sliced into strips
1 cup pasta, uncooked
1 cup broccoli, florrets
125g cherry tomatoes, halved
2⁄3 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 small brown onion, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Pesto:
200g baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil
3⁄4 cup parmesan cheese
2⁄3 cup of almonds
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
2⁄3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Method:
1. If making pesto from scratch, add all ingredients under ‘pesto’ into a food processor and blend until your desired consistency.
2. Coat chicken in salt and pepper.
3. Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
4. Spray a large pan with olive oil and heat to a medium to high heat. Cook chicken
until completely cooked through and then set aside.
5. Add onion, garlic, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms into the pan and cook for 10 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Add chicken back into the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add cooked pasta to the pan and mix through.
6. Add the pesto and mix through once more. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Lentil & Quinoa Stir-Fry Recipe
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 Minutes
Ingredients:
1⁄3 cup quinoa, uncooked
1⁄4 cup brown lentils, canned
10g flaked almonds
10g pepita seeds
1 small carrot, diced
1⁄2 small red capsicum, diced
3⁄4 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup broccoli, cut into florets and diced finely
1 spring onion stalks, thinly sliced
1 small red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1⁄2 small brown onion, diced
Dressing:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh coriander to serve
Method:
1. Begin to cook quinoa according to packet instructions.
2. In a deep pan, heat a small amount of olive oil and fry off garlic, chilli and onion for 2-3 minutes or until onion becomes translucent.
3. Add broccoli, carrot, capsicum and spring onion into the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
4. Add cabbage and lentils into the pan and cook for 2 minutes until the cabbage begins to soften.
5. Add cooked quinoa to the pan and stir through.
6. Add the soy, oyster and fresh coriander to the pan and heat through. Cook for a further 1 minute and then sprinkle with the nuts and serve!