Home / Busy Weeknights: 5 dinners in 30 minutes or less
Busy Weeknights: 5 dinners in 30 minutes or less
For weeks when there is no time. Every dinner is on the table in 30 minutes or less, two of them cook a double batch so tomorrow’s lunch is already done, and breakfasts take ten minutes or are made the night before.
At a glance
15.9 g net carbs a day on average · highest day 19.5 g · limit 20 g. Every number is added up from the verified figures of each recipe (one serving per meal). How we calculate.
Monday
BreakfastSavoury Yogurt Bowl with Dukkah, Cucumber & Olive Oil9 g
LunchBroccoli Sprout, Avocado & Lemon Salad with Chicken6 g
DinnerChicken Thighs with Ginger-Scallion Sauce & Mustard Greens4.5 g
19.5 g net carbs · 96 g protein · 101 g fat · 1371 kcal
Tuesday
BreakfastNordic Breakfast Plate: Eggs, Smoked Mackerel, Cucumber & Seed Crackers4.4 g- LunchChicken Thighs with Ginger-Scallion Sauce & Mustard Greens (leftovers)4.5 g
- DinnerGarlic-Chilli Prawns on Warm Wilted Rocket6.2 g
15.1 g net carbs · 112 g protein · 91 g fat · 1328 kcal
Wednesday
BreakfastChia & Flax Coconut Porridge with Raspberries7.2 g
LunchCreamy Egg Salad Lettuce Cups with Chives & Celery3.2 g
DinnerKorean Beef Lettuce Wraps with Quick Brussels Sprout Kimchi7 g
17.4 g net carbs · 62 g protein · 102 g fat · 1236 kcal
Thursday
BreakfastPerfect Eggs, Two Ways: Soft-Scrambled & Jammy2.1 g- LunchKorean Beef Lettuce Wraps with Quick Brussels Sprout Kimchi (leftovers)7 g
DinnerPan-Roasted Cod with Sage Brown Butter & Garlic Spinach3.8 g
12.9 g net carbs · 85 g protein · 83 g fat · 1138 kcal
Friday
- BreakfastChia & Flax Coconut Porridge with Raspberries7.2 g
LunchNiçoise Salad with Seared Tuna, Green Beans & Olives4.3 g
DinnerSteak Tagliata with Rocket, Parmesan & Lemon3.1 g
14.6 g net carbs · 100 g protein · 122 g fat · 1556 kcal
Prep plan
- Tuesday evening: stir together the chia porridge for Wednesday (and again on Thursday evening for Friday).
- Monday and Wednesday: cook the double batch of dinner and pack half for the next day’s lunch.
- Keep a jar of dukkah and boiled eggs in the fridge: breakfast in two minutes.
Shopping list for the whole plan
Cooking for . Salt, pepper and water are not listed. Check your cupboard before you shop.
Vegetables, herbs & fruit
- 200 g cucumber
- 5 g dill
- 30 g broccoli sprouts
- 1 avocados
- 330 g little gem or cos lettuce
- 2 lemons
- 28 g fresh ginger
- 70 g spring onions
- 200 g mustard greens or pak choi
- 4 garlic cloves
- 50 g radishes (with leaves)
- 0.25 tsp chilli flakes
- 110 g rocket
- 8 g parsley
- 80 g raspberries
- 30 g celery
- 7 g chives
- 130 g brussels sprouts
- 180 g spinach
- 6 sage leaves
- 80 g green beans
- 90 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 sprig rosemary
Fish & shellfish
- 60 g smoked mackerel fillet
- 200 g raw peeled prawns
- 1 thick skinless cod loins
- 1 tuna steaks
- 2 anchovy fillets
Meat & poultry
- 130 g cooked chicken breast
- 400 g boneless chicken thighs
- 300 g beef mince
- 1 sirloin or rib-eye steak
Dairy & eggs
- 130 g full-fat greek yogurt
- 8 eggs
- 20 g aged cheese
- 45 g butter
- 200 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 30 g mayonnaise
- 8 ml double cream
Pantry
- 10 g hazelnuts
- 0.5 tsp cumin and coriander seeds
- 0.5 tsp sesame seeds
- 180 ml olive oil (or your cooking oil)
- 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
- 8 g sunflower seeds
- 0.5 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari
- 0.5 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 seed crackers
- 30 g chia seeds
- 20 g golden flaxseed
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon
- 15 g flaked almonds
- a pinch paprika
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 0.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 0.5 tbsp gochugaru
- 0.5 tbsp cider vinegar
- 0.5 tsp fish sauce
- 0.5 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 20 g olives
- 0.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 15 g Parmesan
Vegetables, herbs & fruit
- 400 g cucumber
- 10 g dill
- 60 g broccoli sprouts
- 2 avocados
- 650 g little gem or cos lettuce
- 3 lemons
- 60 g fresh ginger
- 140 g spring onions
- 400 g mustard greens or pak choi
- 7 garlic cloves
- 100 g radishes (with leaves)
- 0.5 tsp chilli flakes
- 220 g rocket
- 15 g parsley
- 160 g raspberries
- 60 g celery
- 13 g chives
- 250 g brussels sprouts
- 360 g spinach
- 12 sage leaves
- 150 g green beans
- 180 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 sprig rosemary
Fish & shellfish
- 120 g smoked mackerel fillet
- 400 g raw peeled prawns
- 2 thick skinless cod loins
- 2 tuna steaks
- 4 anchovy fillets
Meat & poultry
- 250 g cooked chicken breast
- 800 g boneless chicken thighs
- 600 g beef mince
- 1 sirloin or rib-eye steak
Dairy & eggs
- 250 g full-fat greek yogurt
- 16 eggs
- 40 g aged cheese
- 90 g butter
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 15 ml double cream
Pantry
- 20 g hazelnuts
- 1 tsp cumin and coriander seeds
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 350 ml olive oil (or your cooking oil)
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
- 15 g sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 4 seed crackers
- 60 g chia seeds
- 40 g golden flaxseed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon
- 30 g flaked almonds
- a pinch paprika
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 40 g olives
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 30 g Parmesan
Vegetables, herbs & fruit
- 800 g cucumber
- 20 g dill
- 120 g broccoli sprouts
- 3 avocados
- 1300 g little gem or cos lettuce
- 6 lemons
- 110 g fresh ginger
- 280 g spring onions
- 800 g mustard greens or pak choi
- 14 garlic cloves
- 200 g radishes (with leaves)
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 440 g rocket
- 30 g parsley
- 320 g raspberries
- 120 g celery
- 26 g chives
- 500 g brussels sprouts
- 720 g spinach
- 24 sage leaves
- 300 g green beans
- 350 g cherry tomatoes
- 2 sprig rosemary
Fish & shellfish
- 240 g smoked mackerel fillet
- 800 g raw peeled prawns
- 4 thick skinless cod loins
- 4 tuna steaks
- 8 anchovy fillets
Meat & poultry
- 500 g cooked chicken breast
- 1600 g boneless chicken thighs
- 1200 g beef mince
- 2 sirloin or rib-eye steak
Dairy & eggs
- 500 g full-fat greek yogurt
- 32 eggs
- 80 g aged cheese
- 180 g butter
- 800 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 120 g mayonnaise
- 30 ml double cream
Pantry
- 40 g hazelnuts
- 2 tsp cumin and coriander seeds
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 700 ml olive oil (or your cooking oil)
- 6 tsp Dijon mustard
- 30 g sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 8 seed crackers
- 120 g chia seeds
- 80 g golden flaxseed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon
- 60 g flaked almonds
- a few pinches paprika
- 4 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp gochugaru
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 80 g olives
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 60 g Parmesan
Nutrition figures are estimates based on food tables and the recipe yields. They are not medical advice. If you follow a therapeutic diet, use your own weighed portions and talk to your doctor or dietitian.