1500 KCAL-MENU

‘Pfff, another week full of lunches and dinners out,’ sighs colleague E during our coffee break. And it's almost February, so: wine. ‘Oh well,’ I say, ‘you gotta live a little. And otherwise, just schedule one low-calorie day, even if it's just for your peace of mind.’ ‘Good one!’ She laughs and grabs a KitKat from the table.

Okay, first of all: don’t shoot the messenger. This piece is NOT meant to put you on a diet (ugh, what a nasty word), to give you an inferiority complex, or to drastically change your eating habits. In fact; I also think you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. By the way, I found it quite a challenge to put together a skinny menu. ‘1500 calories,’ was shouted around me. So I got to work with my calculator.

I easily hit 1800 calories daily, because I can't make it to the end of the day with less (at least not without a bad mood (something to do with a lot of exercise and being active all day)). With this menu, I want to give you a bit of insight into where and how many calories are in what, and how to plan one skinny day a week. Because girlfriend, your body is different from my body, and ultimately you know best what you need to get through the day with enough energy. However, I can recommend looking at a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and (healthy) fats, so you get what you need. Don't forget to drink enough water? Oh yes, and I certainly won't take that coffee away from you. Coffee, I said, right?, no five latte macchiatos with whole milk.

Breakfast – Banana pancakes with low-fat quark and cinnamon (320 kcal)

– 1 ripe banana

– 1 egg

– 3 tablespoons of oatmeal

– 1 tsp coconut oil

– low-fat quark

– cinnamon

Here's how to make it:

– Mash the banana and mix it with the oatmeal and the egg.

– Fry three pancakes in the coconut oil.

– Serve warm with a spoonful of low-fat quark and some cinnamon.

In between, a handful of unsalted nuts (130 kcal).

“And so I got to work with my calculator.”

Lunch – Mixed green salad with tuna and rice cakes with cottage cheese (350 kcal)

– bag of mixed salad

– half a can of tuna

- cucumber, sliced

– 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

– spring onions

– apple cider vinegar and a splash of olive oil

– 2 rice cakes with a tablespoon of cottage cheese, finely chopped spring onion, paprika powder, and pepper and salt

Snack 2: a handful of carrots with a spoon of hummus (130 kcal).

Dinner – Casserole with chicken (about 500 kcal)

– 1 medium sweet potato, chopped

– 1/4 zucchini, chopped

– 1/4 eggplant, chopped

– handful of broccoli florets

– 1/4 red bell pepper, sliced

– 1 onion, sliced

– garlic, finely chopped

– 1 chicken breast, chopped

– 1 tsp smoked paprika powder

– 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

– pinch of salt

For the yogurt sauce:

– tablespoon of low-fat quark

– 1/2 clove of garlic

– spring onion in pieces

Here's how to make it:

– Put all ingredients in a greased baking dish and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and the spices.

– Bake it for 30 minutes until done.

– Mix a tablespoon of low-fat quark with the spring onion, pepper, salt, and the clove of garlic. Serve the casserole with a spoon of quark.