It’s one of the most fashionable diets around with a celebrity following that includes Ben Affleck and Beyoncé – 5:2 has certainly taken the slimming world by storm. And while many 5:2 followers rely on products like LighterLife Fast, the topic on many people’s lips is what to eat on those non-fast days.
The experts at LighterLife Fast know that in order to lose weight, you need something that fits in with your lifestyle, so they have created not only the very first 5:2 product, exclusive to Superdrug, they’ve also come up with a food-essentials shopping list to make your supermarket trips hassle-free.
The quick and tasty recipes are nutritionally balanced to work in harmony with your fasting days and the balance of food groups they contain mean you will be satisfied after every meal, making you far more likely to succeed.
“Fasting is a great way to lose and maintain weight,” explains Rob Rona from LighterLife Fast. “Yet many of us are left wondering what to eat for the other five days in the week. At LighterLife Fast we’ve put together a selection of tasty and nutritionally balanced recipes to help you manage your meal plans on your non-fasting days.”
3 of our favourite LighterLife Fast recipes
SPEEDY CHILLI CON CARNE
Serves 4
309 kcal, 25g protein, 36g carbs, 8g fat per serving
Ingredients:
250g (9oz) lean beef or turkey mince 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
400g (14oz) kidney beans in water, drained and rinsed
500g (1lb 2oz) passata
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp virtually fat-free fromage frais or quark
60g (2oz) basmati rice
Put the mince, onion and garlic in a large non-stick saucepan and cook over a medium heat for about five minutes, stirring until the onion is softened and the mince is browned. Add the kidney beans, passata, paprika, chilli powder and cayenne pepper. Stir well and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat, allow to cool for a few minutes, then stir in the fromage frais. Meanwhile, start cooking the rice according to the packet instructions about 10 minutes before the chilli will be ready.
Serve the chilli on a bed of rice with a crisp side salad.
SPEEDY ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH PEARL BARLEY AND BALSAMIC DRESSING
Serves 2
310 kcal, 1g protein, 59g carbs, 5g fat per serving
Ingredients:
200g (7oz) butternut squash, peeled and cut into wedges
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
4 tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, sliced into wedges
150g (5oz) sprouting broccoli
2-3 tbsp stock
75g (2.5oz) pearl barley (dry weight)
1tbsp pumpkin seeds
For the dressing:
1 tbsp capers
2 shallots, finely sliced
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6). Put the squash, pepper, tomatoes, onion and broccoli in a large roasting tin and drizzle with the stock, then roast in the oven for 30 minutes until they are soft and browned. Meanwhile, cook the barley according to instructions on the packet, then drain. In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together. Mix together the vegetables and barley and serve in two dishes, topped with the pumpkin seeds and dressing.
SPEEDY RICH PORK CASSEROLE WITH MUSHROOMS AND SOY SAUCE
Serves 4
190kcal, 29g protein, 5g carbs, 6g fat per serving
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, crushed (or 2 tsp minced garlic)
1 red chilli finely chopped
2cm (1in) piece root ginger, grated
1 red onion, cubed
100ml (3.5oz) chicken stock
500g (8floz) tomato passata
50ml (2floz) dark soy sauce
2 whole star anise
200g (7oz) mushrooms quartered
Cook the garlic, chilli, ginger and onion in a little stock in a heavy non-stick saucepan until brown. Add the pork, stir and cook until brown. Add the passata, soy sauce, star anise and remaining stock, bringing to the boil and stir. Then either add the mushrooms, pour into a slower cooker and cook for up to eight hours or cover, turn down to a low heat and gently simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Then add the mushrooms, stir and simmer for another hour.
For more recipes and meal plans, visit www.lighterlifefast.com/all-about-fast and for some real-life slimming success stories, click here!
