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Step by step guide to the
Zest Monday-to-Friday
meal planner

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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Here’s the Zest guide on how to prepare the best
possible food in the least possible time – just
what’s needed when you are a busy mum!

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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1 Buy yourself a food processor. dishes to cook for the week - you’ll be able to 4 If you decide to do your cooking early
rotate them (and add to them, if necessary)
If you haven’t already got one, it’s an across the ve days from Monday to Friday. in the morning, get as much as possible
essential tool for busy families. ready the night before, as follows:
zestTIP All-in-one dishes and
Also get yourself a couple of heat di users to casseroles are very Get out all the store cupboard ingredients
place on your stove so that you can cook food convenient and they needed for each of the three dishes being
slowly without it burning - really useful. keep well e.g. lasagne, prepared and place them in three distinct
chilli-con-carne, vegetable crumble, sections on the table
Having recently discovered the joys of a slow ÄZO WPL NV\SHZO KOHS
cooker, I think they are well worth the invest- t Herbs/spices for each dish
ment. Most stews and sauces can be thrown If you are worried about keeping food in the
into a slow cooker and simply left to cook – fridge during the week, divide it up and freeze t Onion and garlic for each dish
easy! half of it. I have never had any trouble but if it’s
something that worries you, just freeze it. t Any other non-perishable ingredients such
Finally, a hand held food blender is a great as tins of tuna, cartons of tomato passata,
utensil to have, and it will become Always cook rice freshly on the day that you lentils, dried pasta etc.
indispensable once you have a baby to wean! are eating it, as some sources suggest that it is
unsafe to keep rice Get out all necessary utensils:
2 Keep a stock of useful
If, by Friday, you have run out, there are all t Food processor
time-saving ingredients(go back sorts of very quick, easy and labour-free recipes
to your “What to stock” list.) that you can do, like the ones suggested in your t Chopping board
“What to stock” list. Anyway, Friday evenings
3 Every week you are going to choose three tend to be more laid-back. t e correct pots and containers for each dish
being prepared

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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If any dry ingredients need weighing ( our, Red lentil, butternut and apricot dhal Rich tomato sauce with beef meat
sugar, cocoa powder) for baking, weigh them balls
out into separate bowls so that everything is Serve with quick-cook brown basmati rice and
ready to be assembled swiftly when you are green vegetables. Serve with wholemeal spaghetti and a mixed
doing your cook-up green salad with tomatoes, red and yellow
Coconut oil peppers etc.
Now it might all sound a bit mad but I can 1 onion
assure you that being super-organised will Red lentils olive oil
enable you to turn into super-mum, juggling Curry paste or curry spices or both - be inventive! 1 onion
career with yummy mummy motherhood, and A 250g bag of dried apricots 2 Garlic cloves
all that it entails… Half a roasted butternut Dried oregano, basil, rosemary
or mixed Italian herbs
Weekly Meal Planner 1 A dash of extra dry vermouth
1½ cartons of passata tomato
If you followed the Perfect Pregnancy Plan A generous squirt of concentrated
then you’ll have already received this meal tomato paste (¼-ish of a tube)
planner A handful of red lentils

e other half of that roasted butternut
A pack of Duchy Originals organic beef
meatballs or another good quality brand.
Try to nd something that’s not too fatty

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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Quick, healthy and yummy spicy So, how does this weekly planner with olive oil and one of the pots with sun ower
Mexican Beans work? oil. Cook without letting the garlic brown

Serve with wholemeal tortillas and grated 1 Cut the butternut squash in half (don’t 5 Add the red lentils and curry paste/spices
cheddar or with easy cook long grain brown
rice, green vegetables and whatever else takes bother peeling it or scooping out the seeds) to the garlic-free pot and fry the lentils with
your fancy! and place it cut side down on a roasting tray. the onions until well coated and slightly pale.
Place in the oven at 180ºC and leave it to cook
1 onion for at least an hour. It’ll be ready when a skewer 6 Add a slosh of vermouth to the
A couple of cloves of garlic slides through it without any resistance
Olive oil olive oil pan and let it boil vigorously.
1½ cartons tomato passata 2 Peel the 3 onions, cut them in half and
A very generous squirt of concentrated 7 Add 1½ cartons tomato passata, a very
tomato paste (½-ish of a tube) put them into the food processor. Whizz
A pack of mixed Mexican spices. Try various brands them up until they are nely chopped generous squirt of concentrated tomato paste
(Discovery, Old El Paso) and see what you like best and the Mexican spices to the third pot.
4 tins of beans as follows: 1 kidney, 1 3 Distribute ⅓ of the chopped onions into
borlotti, 1 cannellini, 1 butterbean 8 Drain all the beans in a colander and add
Fresh chopped coriander (optional but tasty!) three di erent saucepans - two with sun ower
oil and one with olive oil at the bottom. Cover them to the pot with the Mexican spices. Put
with lids and leave to cook slowly until the the lid on and leave to simmer on a low ame.
onions are soft, translucent but not too brown.
9 Go back to the red lentils pot,
4 Add the crushed garlic cloves to the pot
add water to cover and empty the bag

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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of dried apricots into the pot. Cover t Tell your partner to do the washing and way crunchy). Scoop out the esh of half
with a lid and leave to simmer. clearing up! the butternut. It should be so soft that it’s
like a puree. Add to the curry and use the
10 Now go to your olive oil and vermouth So what’s left to do? hand held blender to puree your red lentils,
apricots and butternut into a smooth, rich
pot: add 1½ cartons of tomato passata, a very 1 Keep an eye (wooden spoon) dhal. Done and ready for the Tupperware!
generous squirt of concentrated tomato paste,
loads of Italian herbs (and I mean loads!), a on your three pots to make sure that 5 Finally, just leave the tomato and
handful of red lentils. Mix. Empty out the they don’t burn on the bottom.
pack of meat balls into the pot, cover with a meatball sauce to simmer for as long as
lid and leave to simmer over a low ame. 2 Keep an eye on the butternut possible so that you end up with a really
rich sauce (no crunchy lentils please). Once
Ok, well done. You are doing a really good job that’s roasting in the oven. cooked, scoop out the esh of the other half
and your weekly meal planner is under control! of the butternut and mix it well into the
3 e Mexican beans will be ready sauce. Ready for the third Tupperware!
It’s time to rst. When they’re ready, put them
in a big Tupperware box. When they You are now set for the week and all that needs
t grab a herbal tea and give yourself a have cooled a bit, sprinkle the top doing every day when you get back from work
metaphorical pat on the back. generously with chopped coriander. is cooking the accompaniments (rice, pasta,
vegetables) - easy! You will be starting the week
t Ensure that your partner notices your ef- 4 e lentil curry will be ready next feeling completely in control - a truly great
ciency and suggest that he gives you lots of feeling which will help you both at home and
(when the lentils are really soft and mushy within the workplace.
compliments and/or does the cooking next they are cooked - they mustn’t be in any
week! The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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Friday night 4 Seal the foil container and place in the ‘‘

If, by Friday, you’ve had enough of your three oven at 180ºC until cooked. Check after twenty
meals, then go for a really quick and healthy sh minutes to see if the sh is cooked through.
dish:
I would serve this with a great big salad and - if
)HRLK ÄZO ^P[O JOLYY` [VTH[VLZ I weren’t gluten intolerant - with some lovely,
pesto and olives wholemeal bread. Fresh basil leaves sprinkled
on top of the sh make it look appetising and
2-3 salmon pieces taste delicious. is is so simple, really healthy
Pesto
A handful of cherry tomatoes ‘HQISN‘IEUMCAIRCPLELTKEDH,IYBRLAEYNADLLYand incredibly quick.
Olives (if you like them)

1 Using aluminium foil, make a little

boat-shaped container for the sh.

2 Place the sh in the aluminium container.
3 Spread a spoonful of pesto (red or green)

over the sh. Add the tomatoes and the olives.

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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Weekly Meal Planner 2 Rich beef goulash Quorn mince bolognese

Indian spiced chicken with Serve with quick-cook brown rice and Serve with wholemeal pasta, roasted red
chickpeas and cashew nuts vegetables such as steamed curly kale. peppers and grated parmesan and vegetables
such as roasted red peppers, greens and
Serve with quick-cook brown basmati rice and olive oil whatever else takes your fancy!
vegetables such as steamed spring greens and 1 onion (or ready chopped frozen onion)
sliced carrots. 2 Garlic cloves (or ready crushed 1 onion (or ready chopped frozen onion)
garlic/dried garlic granules) A couple of cloves of garlic (or ready
Coconut oil Smoked paprika crushed garlic/dried garlic granules)
1 onion (or ready chopped frozen onion) 1½ cartons of passata tomato Olive oil
2 chicken breasts sliced into strips (I A generous squirt of concentrated 1½ cartons tomato passata
use kitchen scissors for speed) tomato paste (¼-ish of a tube) A very generous squirt of concentrated
2 tins chickpeas A handful of red lentils tomato paste (½-ish of a tube)
A couple of handfuls of raw cashew nuts A couple of baked sweet potatoes Italian herbs: oregano, basil, thyme,
Curry paste Good quality, lean, diced stewing beef rosemary (whatever you like that
Black onion seeds/nigella works with Italian-style food)
Fresh coriander A slug of dry white Vermouth
A handful of red lentil
A couple of baked sweet potatoes
4 red peppers, halved and deseeded
A bag of frozen Quorn mince
Fresh basil leaves to serve

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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So, how does this weekly planner Cover with lids and leave to cook slowly until t Add 1½ cartons tomato passata, and a very
work? the onions are soft, translucent but not too generous squirt of concentrated tomato
brown. paste to the Quorn mince pot and another
t Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray in 1½ cartons tomato passata, and a very gen-
the oven at 180ºC and leave them to cook t Add the crushed garlic cloves to the pots erous squirt of concentrated tomato paste to
for at least an hour. ey’ll be ready when with olive oil and cook without letting the the beef pot.
a skewer slides through them without any garlic brown. If using garlic granules you’ll
resistance. need to add them at a later stage to the t Stir in the tomato and then throw a handful
sauces. of red lentils into both of the tomato-y pots.
t At the same time, place the halved and
seeded peppers on another baking tray t Add the chicken strips and curry paste to the t Drain the chickpeas in a colander and add
with a little garlic inside each pepper half coconut oil pot and cook over a low ame them to the pot with the chicken, along with
and drizzle some olive oil on them. Pop into with the onions - keep the lid on and use a a hearty sprinkling of black onion seeds.
the oven along with the sweet potatoes. heat di user if the food starts to stick to the Put the lid on and leave to simmer on a low
Let them cook slowly until they are meltingly bottom of the pot. ame.
soft, wrinkled, and a little charred round the
edges. t Add the Quorn mince along with all the t Keep an eye on the tomato-y pots and add
Italian herbs and a slosh of Vermouth to water if and when necessary. Cover with a lid
t Peel the three onions, cut them in half and one of the olive oil pots. Let it bubble away and leave to simmer for as long as possible
put them into the food processor. Whizz without sticking to the bottom of the pan. (feel free to get on with other things!)
them up until they are nely chopped
t Add the cubed beef and smoked paprika to Ok, well done. You are doing a really good job
t Distribute ⅓ of the chopped onions into other olive oil pot and brown the meat all and your weekly meal planner is under control!
three di erent saucepans - two with olive over.
oil and one with coconut oil at the bottom.

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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Now it’s time to: ously with chopped fresh coriander zestTIP If you have the energy
(or frozen, ready-chopped coriander). after your batch cook,
t Grab a herbal tea and give yourself a meta- how about making
phorical pat on the back. t e Quorn bolognese will be ready next. It up an enormous fruit
will be ready when the lentils are completely salad? From personal experience I know that if
t Ensure that your partner notices your ef- soft and mushy and the sauce is very thick I am busy, I am more likely to eat fruit when it is
ciency and suggest that he gives you lots of and tastes rich. You might well need to add ready prepared, in the form of a fruit salad. When
herbs as you go along. Scoop out the esh short of time - which for me is all the time! - I am
compliments and/or does the cooking next of two sweet potatoes: they should be so unlikely to peel an orange, especially if it’s one
week! soft that they are like a puree. Add to the of those annoying ones that won’t peel easily. If
Bolognese sauce and mix in thoroughly until there’s a fruit salad in the fridge then it’s easy to
t Tell your partner to do the washing and the sweet potato disappears. Done and ready grab a bowl and help yourself.
clearing up! for the Tupperware!
Make up your fruit salad with fruit that’s unlikely
So what’s left to do? t Put the red peppers in a separate airtight to go mushy (avoid pears, bananas, strawberries
container to serve with the pasta dish. and many other soft fruits - IS\LILYYPLZ HYL ÄUL
t Check your three pots regyularly to make and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
sure that they don’t burn on the bottom t Finally, just leave the beef goulash to simmer Your fruit intake will increase dramatically.
for as long as possible so that you end up
t Keep an eye on the sweet potatoes and red with a really rich sauce (no crunchy lentils Your evening meals are now set for the week
peppers that are roasting in the oven please) and very tender meat. Once cooked, and all that needs doing every day is cooking
scoop out the esh of the other two sweet the accompaniments (rice, pasta, vegetables)
t e chicken and chickpeas will be ready rst. potatoes and mix them well into the sauce. – easy! You will be starting the week feeling
When they’re ready, stir in the cashew nuts Ready for the third Tupperware! completely in control, a truly great feeling!
and pop it all into a Tupperware. When the
dish has cooled a bit, sprinkle the top gener-

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012

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‘‘SIMPLE, REALLY‘‘ Friday night 4 Whilst the sh is in the oven mix
HEALTHY AND
INCREDIBLY If, by Friday, you’ve had enough of your three together a few teaspoons of horseradish
QUICK meals, then go for a really quick and healthy with natural yogurt and chopped chives.

sh dish: is is a lovely sauce with sh, and so easy.

)HRLK ÄZO ^P[O JYLHT` OVYZLYHKPZO I would serve this with lots of spinach - defrost
and chive sauce your whole leaf spinach in a frying pan with
olive oil over a low temperature - and some
2-3 salmon pieces or any white sh you enjoy plain rice with chives chopped through it.
Horseradish
Natural full fat yogurt is is so simple, really healthy and incredibly
Chives quick.

1 Using aluminium foil, make a little

boat-shaped container for the sh.

2 Place the sh in the aluminium container.
3 Seal the foil container and place in the

oven at 180ºC until cooked. Check after twenty
minutes to see if the sh is cooked through.

The Mummy Tummy Plan | © Copyright Zest4lifeUK 2012