5 Weeks to Sugar-Free 3 Day Meal Plan: Day Two

Poached Eggs with Avocado on Toast | Bean Salad | Digestive Biscuits | Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and Butternut Squash

Day One | Day Two | Day Three

Breakfast

Poached Eggs with Avocado on Toast

Serves 2

• 1–2 very fresh eggs per person
• 2 slices of wholemeal seeded
• bread
• butter, for spreading
• 1 avocado
• 1 tsp lime juice
• salt and black pepper

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then turn the heat down slightly until the water is simmering. Break an egg into a small cup.
2. Swirl a spoon around in the water to make a whirlpool – really get the water going – then drop the egg in. Cook the egg for about 2½ minutes, until the white is set and the yolk is still runny, then remove the egg with a slotted spoon so the water drains away from it. Repeat with as many eggs as you want to cook.
3. Meanwhile, toast the bread and spread with butter. Cut the avocado in half and remove the stone, then mash the flesh with the lime juice and seasoning. Spread the mashed avocado on to the toast and top with the poached eggs when they’re ready.

Davina’s tip

If you need to make lots of poached eggs, it’s best not to try to cook them all at once in the same saucepan. Instead, cook each egg individually for just 2 minutes and set them all aside. When you have cooked them all, carefully drop them back into the water and cook for another 30 seconds. That way they will all be ready at the same time.

Snack

Banana - simples!

Lunch

Bean Salad and melon

Bean Salad

Serves 4

• 400g green beans
• 400g can of borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, diced
• ½ cucumber, diced
• juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp mustard
• ½ tsp honey
• handful of fresh basil leaves
• Parmesan cheese shavings

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the green beans and cook them for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh them under cold water.
2. Put the green beans, canned beans, tomatoes, red onion and cucumber in a bowl and mix them all together. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and honey in a small jug and pour this over the salad.
3. Scatter over some basil leaves and shavings of Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Snack

Digestive Biscuit

Makes about 24

• 200g wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface
• 200g oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 200g unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into cubes
• 150g maple syrup

1. Put the flour, oats, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blitz them – you want a mixture that’s just slightly coarser than flour. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture
2. resembles fine breadcrumbs, then tip it all into a bowl.
3. Add the maple syrup and gently work it into the mixture until you have a dough. Don’t worry if it’s very soft, as it will firm up in the fridge. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the fridge for at least an hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment. Generously flour your work surface.
5. Divide the dough in half, then rewrap one piece and put it back in the fridge. Roll out the remaining half and, using a cutter about the size of a digestive biscuit, cut out circles. Re-roll the offcuts, making sure you use plenty of flour to prevent sticking. You should end up with12 biscuits.
6. Remove the rest of the dough from the fridge and repeat to make another 12 biscuits. Place the biscuits on the baking trays.#
7. Bake the biscuits for 15–20 minutes until they’re golden brown and crisp. Keep a very close eye on them, as a minute too long could mean they overcook. Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

Dinner

Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and Butternut Squash

Serves 4

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 400g mixed mushrooms, wiped clean and finely sliced
• 200g butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 250g pearl barley (or spelt)
• ½ tsp dried sage or 1 tbsp
• chopped fresh sage
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 25g Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra Parmesan to serve
• salt and black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a large saucepan. Gently fry the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms and butternut squash. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms are collapsing down and everything is softening.
2. Add the barley or spelt, then the sage and season with salt and pepper. Stir well.
3. Pour in the stock and bring it to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer gently, stirring regularly, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the barley is tender.
4. Beat in the rest of the butter with the Parmesan until the risotto is creamy. Serve with more grated Parmesan.

Davina’s Five Weeks to Sugar Free: Yummy, easy recipes to help you kick sugar and feel amazing, can be ordered here:

Amazon | Waterstones | WHSmith