Healthy Diet Plan January 2016 - vegetarian recipes

If you’re looking to lose weight, the daily 1,500kcal intake should be ideal to help you reach your goals. However, if you’re particularly active, or you aren’t interested in weight loss, we have healthy snack and drink suggestions for you!

What to eat when...

Top tip: Take your time over meals – eating slowly and mindfully helps your body to register that food is on the way, and can also improve digestion.

The recipes...

These recipes serve two people for seven days. We have a non-vegetarian version of the plan if you do want to eat meat and fish.

We've also put together a handy shopping list for you to make life easier when stocking your cupboards.

Enjoy!

The breakfasts:

Orange & raspberry granola
Why it's good for you...
Packed with slow-release carbs and sweetened naturally with fruit, our granola is the ideal alternative to shop-bought, packaged varieties, which tend to be high in added sugars. Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, which helps maintain firm, healthy skin; nuts and seeds help balance the protein and healthy fats in this recipe.

Poached eggs with broccoli, tomatoes and wholemeal flatbreads
Why it's good for you...
Protein-rich to keep you fuller for longer - including eggs in your morning meal has been proven to stop you overeating later in the day. Broccoli may seem a strange choice for breakfast but it’s rich in essential antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamin C as well as folate, which is vital for a healthy heart and nervous system.

Bircher muesli with apple & banana
Why it's good for you...

Packed with nourishing nuts, seeds and fibre-packed oats, our muesli will help stabilise energy levels to give you a great start to the day. Bananas are rich in potassium, vitamin B and magnesium, which support your heart and nervous systems. Adding live yogurt tops up your gut-friendly bacteria for a healthy digestive system.

The lunches

Peruvian toasted sweetcorn, avocado & quinoa salad
Why it's good for you...
Sweetcorn is rich in two protective carotenoids called lutein and zeaxanthin. These invaluable phyto-nutrients protect your eyes from age-related degeneration.

Avocado, labneh, roasted carrots & leaves
Why it's good for you...
Avocado is a good source of vitamin E and is easy to digest. We’ve combined avocado with naturally sweet carrots and fresh leaves, making this a delicious salad rich in protective antioxidants.

Chunky vegetable & brown rice soup
Why it's good for you...
Choosing brown rice as a base for our nourishing soup makes this recipe a great low-GI option. Packed with vitamins from the veg mix, this soup is bursting with nutrients and the rice means you won't feel the need to add a hunk of bread to the side.

Roast roots, goat's cheese and spinach
Why it's good for you...
Parsnips are high in fibre and rich in B vitamins, which are important for energy production. The goat’s cheese tops up the protein contribution in this recipe, as well as supplying the mineral calcium, which is important for nerve and muscle function. Many people find goat's cheese easier to digest than other forms of dairy. It’s also a good source of vitamin A and choline, which are important for healthy eyes.

Minted pea, goat’s cheese & spinach wraps
Why it's good for you...
Peas are a fabulous source of energising iron as well as soluble fibre, which is gentle on the digestive system and helps manage cholesterol levels. By adding seeds, we’ve topped up its nutritional contribution – they're a great source of minerals including magnesium, zinc and calcium.

Red pepper houmous with crispbread snaps
Why it's good for you...
Naturally low in fat, our red pepper houmous also supplies valuable vitamin C to help boost your defences – vital at this time of year. Our crispbreads are protein and omega-3 rich – why not make up an extra batch and keep in an airtight container for a healthy, nutritious snack? (This recipe is also used as a light dinner after the Sunday roast)

The dinners

Sweet potato dhal with curried vegetables
Why it's good for you...
This veggie dish is not only delicious, it’s a great source of plant-based iron. We’ve included plenty of vitamin C-rich veggies to optimise your absorption of this important, energising mineral.

Moroccan vegetable stew
Why it's good for you...
This nourishing dish is rich in fibre, which helps to keep your digestive system healthy. Lentils provide slow-release energy as well as the mineral iron, which helps maintain healthy, shiny hair.

Chilli & ginger squash with kale & quinoa
Why it's good for you...
Full of B vitamins, vitamin K, magnesium and beta-carotene, squash contributes natural sweetness without disrupting blood sugar levels. The kale is rich in calcium, iron and magnesium – minerals that are important for energy production as well as nerve and muscle function.

Chickpea & nut burgers with sweet potato chips
Why it's good for you...
Packed with minerals, including manganese, copper, iron and zinc, chickpeas help balance blood sugar. Nuts contribute protein and healthy fats to this recipe – we’ve included walnuts because they’re one of the richest sources of omega-3, which is important for brain function, a healthy heart, as well as supple skin and luscious locks!

A note on healthy fats
Our plan includes plenty of heart-healthy fats from sources such as nuts, seeds and avocado. We’ve used whole milk yogurt because the fat helps you to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A and D. All the fats (including saturates) in our recipes comply with daily reference intakes (RI). For cooking, we’ve chosen rapeseed oil because of its high smoke point and useful contribution of heart-friendly, omega-3 fatty acids.

Prepping pulses
We use canned beans and pulses, but preparing from dried is even better, if you have time. To do this, soak them in water overnight and allow a slightly longer cooking time. Alternatively, you can use fresh rather than canned ingredients. As an example, substitute fresh tomatoes for the same canned weight, topping up with a little extra water.

Please email any questions about the recipes to goodfoodwebsite@bbc.com and we'll do our best to help.

All health content from BBC Good Food is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Any healthy diet plan featured by BBC Good Food is provided as a suggestion of a general balanced diet and should not be relied upon to meet specific dietary requirements. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider.