When I created the 5:2 diet in 2013, it was based on cutting-edge scientific research – and inspired by how the plan had improved my own health.
Today, there is more evidence than ever for its benefits. It could help cut your risk of breast cancer, bowel cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart attack and stroke. It could also reduce your blood pressure, improve your sleep and boost your sex drive, and may help fight dementia. And it’s easy to stick to.
I hope the recipes in this pullout will make preparing for days when you’re cutting back easier – and more pleasurable – than ever.
Each calorie-controlled dish uses just five main ingredients. That means they’re simple to shop for, quick to prepare and kinder to your wallet.
We’ve included 22 new recipes for breakfasts, lunches, family favourites and even a few healthy sweet treats to have on non- Fast Days.
So, whether you’ve already started a weight-loss drive by following my latest 5:2 plan, The Fast 800, or are still wondering whether dieting is for you, read on for inspiration…
THE LOWDOWN
It’s very simple: for five days a week you don’t calorie-count, then for two days a week you cut your calories to 800 a day.
Use the recipes in this pullout, or take them as inspiration to create your own. For some, this will mean having just two meals a day; for others, it could be three smaller ones.
Your Fast Days can be consecutive or you can split them – whatever works for you.
You’ll get much more benefit from intermittent fasting if you switch to a Mediterranean-style diet, both on the days when you are fasting and when you are not. That means more olive oil and nuts, as well as plenty of eggs, full-fat yogurt, oily fish and vegetables.
Make sure you fill up on protein and veg on your fasting days. Protein is very satiating and you can eat a lot of fibre-rich vegetables for very few calories.
YOUR PANTRY BASICS
The recipes in this pullout couldn’t be easier. Each contains just five main ingredients, alongside these most basic pantry staples:
● Salt and pepper
● Olive oil
● Extra-virgin olive oil
● Red or white wine vinegar
● Dried mixed herbs
Peanut butter and overnight oats with toasted seeds
Serves 2
● 50g oats
● 1 banana, mashed
● 2 tbsp peanut butter
● 50ml full-fat milk
● 1 tbsp mixed seeds, toasted
Mix the oats, mashed banana and peanut butter with the milk and 50ml of water. Leave to soak in the fridge overnight. Serve topped with the seeds.
Smoked salmon and tomato omelette
Serves 2
● ½ tbsp olive oil
● 3 eggs, beaten and seasoned
● 50g smoked salmon
● 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
● Small bunch of parsley
● ½ lemon, juiced
Heat half the oil in a pan and pour in half the egg mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, then add half the salmon, half the tomato and half the parsley. Fold the omelette in half and cook for a minute more. Repeat with the rest of ingredients for a second omelette. Add a squeeze of lemon to serve.
Nut butter breakfast bars
Makes 8
● 100g oats
● 50g mixed seeds
● 3 tbsp coconut oil
● 75g almond butter, or any nut butter
● 4 dates, pitted and finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Mix the oats and seeds on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 15 minutes until slightly golden. Melt the coconut oil and almond butter in a small pan. Tip the oats and seeds into a bowl, then pour over the melted oil and almond butter and stir in the dates.
Scrape the mixture into a small lined baking tin and press it down well with the back of a spoon.
Chill in the fridge for 1 hour until set before cutting into 8 squares.
Courgette mini muffins
Makes 12
● 1 large courgette, grated
● 3 dates, pitted and finely chopped
● 2 eggs
● 50g ground almonds
● 1 tsp baking powder
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Line a mini muffin tin with 12 paper cases. Put the grated courgette in a clean tea towel and squeeze out the moisture. Mix the dates, eggs and courgette in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the almonds, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Stir the almond mixture into the eggs, mixing well, then spoon into the paper cases and bake for 15-18 minutes until firm and slightly golden on top.
Egg wrap with avocado and tomato
Serves 2
● 3 eggs, beaten and seasoned
● Pinch of chilli flakes
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● Small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
● 1 avocado, peeled, de-stoned and sliced
● 2 tomatoes, sliced
Beat the eggs and add the chilli flakes, half the parsley and some seasoning. Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan, then pour in half the eggs to make a thin omelette. Cook for 2 minutes before flipping over and cooking for 1 minute on the other side. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining oil and egg mixture.
Top each omelette with the avocado, tomato, parsley and some seasoning, then roll up into a wrap and cut in half to serve.
Roasted tomato and feta toasts
Serves 2
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 1 tsp dried basil
● 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
● 2 small slices of wholegrain seeded bread, toasted
● 25g feta
● 100g mixed leaves
Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas mark 6. Toss most of the olive oil, basil, tomatoes and some seasoning together and spread out on a baking tray. Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes have softened. Top the toast with the tomatoes, crumble over the feta and serve with the salad leaves dressed in the remaining oil and some seasoning.
Luscious lunches
Griddled prawns and pineapple with red pepper and spinach
Serves 2
● 200g raw peeled king prawns
● 100g pineapple, cut into prawn-sized pieces
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 1 lime, zest and juice
● 1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
● 100g spinach, finely sliced
Mix the prawns, pineapple, most of the olive oil, lime zest, half the juice and some seasoning in a bowl, then thread on to 4 skewers. Preheat a griddle pan, or use a non-stick frying pan, and cook the skewers for 5 minutes, turning twice until the prawns are cooked through and the pineapple is charred. Mix the red pepper, spinach, remaining oil and lime juice and some seasoning together and serve with the skewers.
Beef and black bean lettuce cups with avocado
Serves 2
● 2 tbsp olive oil
● 150g lean minced beef
● 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
● 100g black beans, rinsed and drained
● 6 little gem lettuce leaves
● ½ avocado, cut into small cubes
Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan and cook half the garlic for 1 minute, then add the beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes until it is browned and starting to crisp up. Pour into a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Add a splash more oil to the pan, then add remaining garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the black beans and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. Fill the lettuce cups with the beef, followed by the black beans and avocado.
Salmon nicoise salad with yogurt dressing
Serves 2
● 2 salmon fillets
● 1 lemon, zest and juice
● 200g green beans, cut into thirds
● 2 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated
● 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
● 2 tbsp full-fat natural yogurt
Season the salmon with salt, pepper and lemon zest, then steam for 6-8 minutes until cooked through. Leave to cool, then flake into chunks. Cook the beans in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain and leave to cool. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, yogurt and some seasoning in a large bowl, then stir in the beans, lettuce and salmon flakes.
299 calories per serving
Courgette fritters with salad
Serves 2 – makes 8 fritters
● 2 courgettes, grated
● 2 eggs, beaten
● 1 tbsp wholemeal flour
● 20g parmesan, finely grated
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 1 head romaine lettuce, finely chopped
Put the courgette mixed with a pinch of salt in a sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, then mix in a bowl with the eggs, flour, parmesan and some seasoning. Heat a drizzle of the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook spoonfuls of the batter for 2-3 minutes on each side, then repeat with most of the remaining oil and batter. Drizzle the lettuce with the final bit of olive oil and season and serve alongside the fritters.
Pea and ham soup
Serves 2
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 1 onion, finely chopped
● 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
● 300g frozen peas
● 300ml low-salt chicken stock
● 50g good-quality ham, finely sliced
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion for 6-8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the peas and the stock and some seasoning. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute, then take off the heat and allow to cool slightly before blitzing briefly using a stick blender, so it is almost smooth but still slightly chunky.
Put the pan back on the heat and add the ham, heating through for 1 minute before serving.
Roasted stuffed squash with greens, brown rice, feta and seeds
Serves 2
● 1 small butternut squash, or half a large one, cut in half lengthways, seeds scooped out and reserved
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 100g cooked brown rice
● 50g feta
● 2 tbsp mixed seeds
● 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
● 100g cabbage, finely sliced
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/gas mark 6. Place the 2 squash halves cut side up on a baking tray, score the flesh with a sharp knife and drizzle with some of the oil and some seasoning then roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes until the flesh is soft.
Mix the rice, feta, seeds, dried herbs and some black pepper together then fill the centre of the squash halves.
Spread the squash seeds on a baking tray and drizzle with some of the oil and some seasoning then roast in the oven with the stuffed squash for 10 minutes.
Steam the cabbage for 3 minutes, then serve alongside the squash with the seeds scattered over the top.
Kidney bean chilli
Serves 2
● 2 tbsp olive oil
● 150g lean minced beef
● 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
● 100g black beans, rinsed and drained
● 6 little gem lettuce leaves
● ½ avocado, cut into small cubes
Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan and cook half the garlic for 1 minute, then add the beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes until it is browned and starting to crisp up. Pour into a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Add a splash more oil to the pan, then add remaining garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the black beans and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. Fill the lettuce cups with the beef, followed by the black beans and avocado.
Dynamite dinners
Roasted veg, grain and feta salad
Serves 2
● 1 large carrot, cut into rough cubes
● 2 medium beetroots, peeled, cut into wedges
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 250g pouch mixed whole grains
● 100g mixed salad leaves
● 1 tsp white wine vinegar
● 50g feta
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas mark 6. Mix the carrot, beetroot, most of the oil and some seasoning, then spread out on to a baking tray and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables have softened and turned golden at the edges. Heat the grains as per the packet instructions, then leave to cool slightly. Stir the grains and roasted vegetables together in a bowl, then toss through the salad leaves, remaining oil and vinegar. Serve on plates and crumble over the feta.
Seabass and roasted veg tray bake
Serves 2
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 1 courgette, sliced into 1cm rounds
● 4 tomatoes, cut into quarters
● 1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
● Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
● 2 seabass fillets, approx 100g each
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas mark 6. Mix the courgette, tomatoes, garlic, half the parsley, oil and some seasoning and spread out on a baking tray. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes, then season the fish and place on top of the vegetables and cook for a further 8-10 minutes. Garnish with the remaining parsley to serve.
Baked ham and leeks
Serves 2
● 100ml low-salt chicken stock
● 1 tbsp mustard
● 2 large leeks, approx 500g, trimmed, washed and sliced
● 100g good-quality sliced ham, roughly chopped
● 8 almonds, toasted and finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas mark 6.
Whisk the chicken stock and mustard in a jug. Arrange the leeks in a baking dish, then pour over the stock and mustard. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil, stir in the ham, cover the top with the almonds and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Salmon and tomato tray bake with spinach
Serves 2
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
● 1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
● 2 salmon fillets, approx 100g each
● 200g spinach
Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas mark 6.
Mix the olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and some seasoning on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 15 minutes. Season the salmon and lay on the tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Meanwhile, put the spinach in a colander and pour over a kettle full of boiling water. Squeeze out the excess water, season and serve with the salmon and tomatoes.
Beef meatballs with courgette salad
Serves 2
● 2 tbsp olive oil
● 250g lean beef mince
● 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
● Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
● 1 tsp white wine vinegar
● 1 courgette, coarsely grated
● 8 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
Mix half the oil with the beef, garlic, half the parsley and plenty of seasoning. Roll into ten balls. Heat a splash of the oil in a frying pan and cook the meatballs for 6-8 minutes until browned on the outside and cooked through. Mix the remaining oil with the vinegar and some seasoning, then toss through the remaining parsley, courgette and tomatoes. Serve the meatballs with the salad.
… AND FOR YOUR SWEET TOOTH
Baked choc chip banana bites
Makes 8
● 2 bananas, mashed
● 2 tbsp mixed seeds
● 50g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
● 50g mixed dried fruit, roughly chopped
● 50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas mark 6.
Mix all the ingredients together and press into a small lined baking dish, then bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until firm and golden. Allow to cool, then cut into eight squares.
Frozen chocolate chunk bites
Makes 14
● 100ml coconut cream
● 2 dates, pitted
● 100ml full-fat milk
● 1 tbsp cocoa powder
● 25g dark chocolate, cut into small chunks
Blitz the coconut cream, dates, milk and cocoa powder in a blender, then pour the mixture into ice-cube trays. Top with the chocolate chunks, then freeze for 2-3 hours until they pop out of the trays easily. Serve two per portion.