Drop a Size in Two Weeks Flat! plus Collins GEM Calorie Counter Set. Joanna Hall

the green beans in boiling water and cook for 3–5 minutes until just cooked. Drain and rinse well in cold water. Put the cannellini beans into a bowl with the red onion. In another bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar and oil and season to taste. Mix into the beans and onion. Add the drained green beans and the parsley. Break the tuna up into big chunks and mix into the salad.

      Joanna’s top tip: This is a quick lunch to rustle up for friends – they will never know how healthy it is!

       Shrimp and Cucumber Salad with a Minty Dressing

       Serves 2–3

       Info per serving:

      Calories: 202.3

      Fat: 11.8g

      Saturated Fat: 1.7g

      Protein: 18.5g

      Carbohydrate: 5.2g

      ½ cucumber, halved lengthways and seeded using a teaspoon (cucumber seeds make any salad very watery)

      6oz shelled cooked shrimp

      1 tablespoon chopped mint

      ½ teaspoon sugar

      1 tablespoon boiling water

      1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

      1 tablespoon olive oil

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      romaine lettuce leaves to serve the shrimp in

      Slice the cucumber halves into half moons and place in a bowl together with the shrimp. Place the mint and sugar in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes and then stir in the vinegar and oil and season well. Add the shrimp and cucumber and stir to coat well.

      Arrange the lettuce on a serving plate and spoon the shrimp salad on top. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat bread or a baked potato.

       Red Bean and Tomato Salsa Salad

       Serves 2–3

       Info per serving:

      Calories: 336.0

      Fat: 19.9g

      Saturated Fat: 2.8g

      Protein: 10.2g

      Carbohydrate: 34.9g

      15-oz can red kidney beans, drained

      1¹/₃ cups tomatoes, finely chopped

      ½ red onion, finely chopped

      rind of 1 lime, grated

      juice of 2 limes

      1 large ripe but firm avocado, peeled, stoned and diced

      2 tablespoons olive oil

      1 green chili, very finely chopped

      good handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      Put everything into a bowl and stir well. Chill until ready to eat.

      Joanna’s top tip: Use rubber gloves when chopping the green chili or wash your hands well afterwards.

       Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

       Serves 4

       Info per serving:

      Calories: 300.0

      Fat: 12.0g

      Saturated Fat: 4.1g

      Protein: 33.4g

      Carbohydrate: 14.4g

      4 cooked, skinned chicken breasts

      2oz Black Forest ham, cut into strips and all traces of fat removed

      2oz pine nuts, tossed into a hot, dry frying pan for a few seconds until golden

      7-oz jar sun-dried tomatoes or sun-blush tomatoes, well drained and sliced

      a handful of fresh basil leaves (optional)

      bag of mixed salad leaves

       For the dressing:

      1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

      1 tablespoon olive oil or you can use the oil from the jar of tomatoes

      ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      Slice the chicken breasts diagonally and arrange on a serving plate. Scatter the ham over the top, followed by the tomatoes and the pine nuts. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over the salad. Scatter the basil over the top and serve with mixed salad leaves.

      GET A GRIP STARCH CURFEW DINNERS

      All of the following meals follow my Starch Curfew principle, which means none of them includes starch – and of course they shouldn’t be served with rice, potatoes, bread, pasta and so on. Instead of accompanying your meals with starch you will be filling up on vegetables, so get acquainted with the unlimited vegetables list page 48 and serve plenty with every meal. Not only will serving vegetables and salads instead of starch reduce your calorie intake, it will also make a good contribution to the minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables you should be having each day.

      You’ll find more information on why my Starch Curfew is such a successful strategy in Operate The Starch Curfew.

       MEAT-BASED DISHES

      Quick Honey Pork Chops

       Serves 4

      2 tablespoons honey

      1 tablespoon grated fresh root ginger

      1 tablespoon soy sauce

      1 garlic clove, crushed

      4 pork chops

       Info per serving:

      Calories: 302.0

      Fat: 12.7g

      Saturated Fat: 5.0g

      Protein: 35.6g

      Carbohydrate: 9.7g

      Preheat broiler to medium. Meanwhile, mix the honey, ginger, soy sauce and garlic together in a small bowl and set aside.

      Broil the chops for 10 minutes, remove from the broiler, brush the glaze over the chops and cook for another 5 minutes.

       Cheater’s Spicy Fillet Steaks

       Serves 2

      9oz Ready to Cook Vegetable Selection

      2 fillet steaks (approx 5oz each)

      11-oz jar fresh vegetable-based pasta sauce such as spicy arrabbiata or napoletana

      4 tablespoons red wine

       Info per serving:

      Calories: 303.0

      Fat: 11.2g

      Saturated Fat: 6.4g

      Protein: 29.5g