Weekly meal planner

The following meal planner will work perfectly in accordance with the Emed Wellness Protocol. It sets out what to eat for each of the main meals, snacks and desserts.

Note that this is what I would suggest for “normal” people. If you are an athlete you will have to significantly increase the portion sizes depending on your training program. Also, for the morning and afteroon snacks you would probably include a Whey Protein based liquid meal to supplement your protein needs.

DAY ONE

Breakfast

Banana Porridge

Combine 1 mashed banana with 1 cup water, ½ cup soy milk, ¾ cup rolled oats, 2 tablespoons LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds). Cook over low heat for about 2-3 minutes until soft and creamy.

Morning Snack

1 apple and a handful of nuts and seeds; for example have a handful for almonds as a snack – they are a great source of protein.

Lunch

Greek salad with tuna

Combine 100g tuna in spring water with 2 lebanese cucumbers, 2 tomatoes, 30g low-fat fetta, 4 olives, 1 teaspoon oregano and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.
Top Tip: Vegetarians can use a small can of cannellini beans in place of the tuna.

Afternoon Snack

1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Dinner

Poached salmon with steamed carrot & broccoli

Poach 180g salmon fillet in fish stock or waterfor about 12 minutes. Serve with lots of steamed broccoli and carrot. Drizzle a little light soy sauce and sesame oil over before eating.
Top Tip: Vegetarians can use steamed silken tofu in place of the poached salmon.

Dessert

1 cup chopped rockmelon, if desired.


DAY TWO

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs on toast

Combine 1 whole egg with 5 egg-whites and 1 tablespoon chopped chives or sage. Pour into a medium-hot non-stick pan sprayed with a little olive oil. Stir until eggs are cooked but still creamy. Remove from heat and fold in 1 tablespoon low-fat ricotta or cottage cheese. Pour over 1 slice of wholegrain sourdough. If you have to eat bread use rye or “wheat free” bread.

Morning Snack

1 pear and 1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Lunch

Vegetable Minestrone

Combine 1 diced onion, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 3 stalks chopped celery, 2 diced large carrots, 1 seeded and diced red capsicum, 1 seeded and diced yellow capsicum, 400g can crushed tomato, 2 X 400g can beans (drained), ½ cup green peas and 3 cups vegetable stock. Cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Fold ¼ cup chopped parsley through just before serving. Store for 3 days in fridge or freeze in individual containers. Serves 3-4.

Afternoon Snack

1 piece of fresh fruit or 1 tub low-fat yoghurt.

Dinner

Stir-fried chicken with snow peas & mushrooms

Stir-fry 1 sliced organic chicken breast in non-stick pan or wok until cooked through and browned, occasionally adding a touch of water while cooking to prevent sticking. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, 1 handful snow peas, 1 handful sliced mushrooms, 2 tablespoons mirin and 1 tablesppon light soy sauce. Toss to warm through and lightly cook to vegetables.
Top tip: Vegetarians can use firm tofu in place of the chicken.

Dessert

1 cup chopped pineapple, if desired.


DAY THREE

Breakfast

Organic brown rice porridge

Place 1 cup warm, cooked brown rice in a saucepan or microwave. Add ½ cup soy milk, 1 grated apple, 2 tablespoons LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds), ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and a sprinkle of sultanas. Just heat and enjoy. You can also top this with a sliced banana.
Top Tip: Keep a large bowl of cooked brown rice in the fridge to make this porridge for breakfast or a delicious lunchtime salad.

Morning Snack

1 apple and 1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Lunch

Chicken Caesar salad

Arrange 1 baby cos lettuce into a serving dish or lunch box. Top with 1 skinless cooked chicken breast (can be store-bought if you like), 3 sliced semi-dried tomatoes (wipe off any excess oil), green onions (shallots) and 2 chopped boiled egg-whites (with yolks removed). Top with 1 tablespoon grated parmesan and green onion. Serve with a little store-bought low-fat Caesar dressing.
Top Tip: Vegetarians can use sliced marinated tofu instead of chicken.

Afternoon Snack

Low-fat chocolate drink and 1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Dinner

Vegetable curry

Combine 1 diced onion, ¼ cup red curry paste, 1 litre vegetable stock, and ¼ cup light coconut milk. Add 1 chopped eggplant, 4 sliced zucchini, 300g chopped pumpkin and 400g can of chickpeas (drained). Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until vegies are tender. Add 1 cup broken-up bok choy and cook for a further 3 minutes. Serve in bowls, garnished with a little coriander. Servers 3-4. Mix can keep for about 3 days in the fridge.

Dessert

2 sliced kiwifruit or one orange, if desired.


DAY FOUR

Breakfast

Banana Porridge

Combine 1 mashed banana with 1 cup water, ½ cup soy milk, ¾ cup rolled oats, 2 tablespoons LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds). Cook over low heat for about 2-3 minutes until soft and creamy.

Morning Snack

1 apple.

Lunch

Greek salad with tuna

Combine 100g tuna in spring water with 2 lebanese cucumbers, 2 tomatoes, 30g low-fat fetta, 4 olives, 1 teaspoon oregano and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.
Top Tip: Vegetarians can use a small can of cannellini beans in place of the tuna.

Afternoon Snack

1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Dinner

Poached salmon with steamed carrot & broccoli

Poach 180g salmon fillet in fish stock or waterfor about 12 minutes. Serve with lots of steamed broccoli and carrot. Drizzle a little light soy sauce and sesame oil over before eating.
Top Tip: Vegetarians can use steamed silken tofu in place of the poached salmon.

Dessert

1 cup chopped rockmelon, if desired.


DAY FIVE

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs on toast

Combine 1 whole egg with 5 egg-whites and 1 tablespoon chopped chives or sge. Pour into a medium-hot non-stick pan sprayed with a little olive oil. Stir until eggs are cooked but still creamy. Remove from heat and fold in 1 tablespoon low-fat ricotta or cottage cheese, Pil over 1 slice of wholegrain sourdough.

Morning Snack

1 pear and 1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Lunch

Vegetable Minestrone

Combine 1 diced onion, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 3 stalks chopped celery, 2 diced large carrots, 1 seeded and diced red capsicum, 1 seeded and diced yellow capsicum, 400g can crushed tomato, 2 X 400g can beans (drained), ½ cup green peas and 3 cups vegetable stock. Cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Fold ¼ cup chopped parsley through just before serving. Store for 3 days in fridge or freeze in individual containers. Serves 3-4.

Afternoon Snack

1 piece of fresh fruit and 1 tub low-fat yoghurt.

Dinner

Stir-fried chicken with snow peas & mushrooms

Stir-fry 1 sliced organic chicken breast in non-stick pan or wok until cooked through and browned, occasionally adding a touch of water while cooking to prevent sticking. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, 1 handful snow peas, 1 handful sliced mushrooms, 2 tablespoons mirin and 1 tablesppon light soy sauce. Toss to warm through and lightly cook to vegetables.
Top tip: Vegetarians can use firm tofu in place of the chicken.

Dessert

1 cup chopped pineapple, if desired.


DAY SIX

Breakfast

Organic brown rice porridge

Place 1 cup warm, cooked brown rice in a saucepan or microwave. Add ½ cup soy milk, 1 grated apple, 2 tablespoons LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds), ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and a sprinkle of sultanas. Just heat and enjoy. You can also top this with a sliced banana.
Top Tip: Keep a large bowl of cooked brown rice in the fridge to make this porridge for breakfast or a delicious lunchtime salad.

Morning Snack

1 apple.

Lunch

Chicken Caesar salad

Arrange 1 baby cos lettuce into a serving dish or lunch box. Top with 1 skinless cooked chicken breast (can be store-bought if you like), 3 sliced semi-dried tomatoes (wipe off any excess oil), green onions (shallots) and 2 chopped boiled egg-whites (with yolks removed). Top with 1 tablespoon grated parmesan and green onion. Serve with a little store-bought low-fat Caesar dressing.
Top Tip: Vegetarians can use sliced marinated tofu instead of chicken.

Afternoon Snack

Low-fat chocolate drink and 1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Dinner

Vegetable curry

Combine 1 diced onion, ¼ cup red curry paste, 1 litre vegetable stock, and ¼ cup light coconut milk. Add 1 chopped eggplant, 4 sliced zucchini, 300g chopped pumpkin and 400g can of chickpeas (drained). Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until vegies are tender. Add 1 cup broken-up bok choy and cook for a further 3 minutes. Serve in bowls, garnished with a little coriander. Servers 3-4. Mix can keep for about 3 days in the fridge.

Dessert

2 sliced kiwifruit or one orange, if desired.


DAY SEVEN

Breakfast

Strawberry power smoothie

Combine ½ cup apple juice with ½ cup Jalna-brand strawberry yoghurt, 1 punnet strawberries, 2 tablespoons Musashi /Aussie Bodies strawberry or vanilla protein powder and 1 tablespoon ground linseeds. Blend with a little ice until smooth and creamy, and serve. Serves 1-2.
Top Tip: Vegans can replace the yoghurt with silken tofu, and the protein powder with a good-tasting, low-fat soy-based protein powder.

Morning Snack

1 pear and 1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Lunch

Wholemeal turkey pizza

Place a wholemeal pita bread onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spread with 1 tablespoon tomato-sauce/paste, 100g sliced turkey breast, ½ seeded and sliced red capsicum, 1 chopped tomato and a handful of sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle over 20g low-fat shredded cheese and a light sprinkle of oregano. Bake in a hot over (200°C) for 10 minutes until hot and golden. Remove from the oven and eat.
Top Tip: For a gluten-free version, just use a soft corn tortilla base and make sure all ingredients used are gluten-free. Vegetarians can use beans or tofu in place of the turkey.

Afternoon Snack

1 apple and 1 handful raw almonds, cashews, walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

Dinner

Lean beef & vegetable bolognaise

Combine 1 diced onion with 2 cloves chopped garlic, 500g lean beef or veal steak (mince if yourself in a food processor), 1 large carrot (grated) and 1 stalk chopped celery. Cook for 5 minutes until golden. Add 2 tablespoons tomat paste, 2 cups chicken stock, 800g chopped canned tomatoes. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until the sauce is rich and thick Serve over freshly steam broccoli and carrot. You can also add 1 tablespoon grated parmesan if you like.

Dessert

1 cup chopped pawpaw/papaya, if desired.