Slim with Carrots

Carrot Calorie Crunch Healthy Eating Plan

The Carrot Calorie Crunch healthy eating plan is packed with quick and easy meals that won’t break the bank but are guaranteed to help you drop a dress size in just four weeks…

As the credit crunch continues to bite, more and more of us are cancelling expensive gym and slimming club memberships, but we still want to get in great shape. Good news then that it’s easy to beat the credit crunch and shift those excess pounds with our fabulous Carrot Crunch Diet.

Most meals contain the humble carrot. As as well as being naturally low in calories, fat, saturates and salt, carrots are also high in fibre making them a great choice if you want to eat healthily and lose weight.

Carrots are also a fantastic source of beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A, a nutrient that’s needed for growth, good vision and healthy hair and skin.

This eating plan contains around 1,400 calories a day and includes plenty of nutritious meals and snacks – many of which include carrots – to help you maintain good health while you lose those excess inches.

You’ll find getting into shape really easy with this fantastic Carrot Calorie Crunch diet. It’s simple to follow with a wide variety of quick and easy recipes and meal suggestions. And unlike other diets it won’t cost the earth, with the recipes varying from 38p to a couple of pounds per portion.

So what are you waiting for? Start the Carrot Calorie Crunch Diet today and look forward to dropping a dress size…

Carrot Calorie Crunch Healthy Eating Plan:

Here’s what to do…

Choose one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner and one snack each day from the below selection, but vary your choices to make sure you get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy.

As well as your meals and snacks, have 300ml of skimmed milk every day to drink on its own, use in tea, coffee or cappuccinos or to make into fruit smoothies or milkshakes using some of the fruit and yogurt in the daily menu plans. Milk is an important source of calcium needed for healthy bones.

Don’t skip any of the fruit or veggies – to stay healthy you should eat five different servings of fruit and veg every day and this plan helps you to achieve this. Eating plenty of fruit and veg helps to boost intakes of fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Drink plenty of water – have 6-8 glasses a day.

Breakfasts 250 calories

Cheese and carrot bagel 38p
1 wholegrain bagel filled with 2tbsp low-fat soft cheese and 3tbsp grated carrot.

Homemade muesli with yogurt 46p
2tbsp branflakes, 2tbsp of oats, 1tbsp raisins and 1tsp chopped mixed nuts topped with ½ pot low-fat natural yoghurt.

Crunchy cereal with carrot and apple juice 50p
6tbsp branflakes with skimmed milk. Plus 1 glass of juice made by blending 100ml each of unsweetened carrot and apple juice.

Toast with peanut butter and banana and carrot juice 60p
1 slice wholegrain toast topped with 2tsp peanut butter and 1 small sliced banana. Plus 1 small glass unsweetened carrot juice.

Banana with yogurt and oats 61p
1 small banana with 1 pot low-fat natural yoghurt and 2tbsp oats.

Poached egg and tomato on toast 62p
1 slice wholegrain toast with 1tsp low-fat spread, 1 poached egg and 1 grilled tomato. Plus 1 orange.

Rise and shine juice with toast and jam 90p
In a blender whiz together 20 seedless grapes, ½ medium banana, 4tbsp each of unsweetened orange and carrot juice and a dash of lemon juice. Plus 1 slice wholegrain toast with 1tsp each of low-fat spread and reduced-sugar jam.

Lunches 350 calories

Grated cheese and carrot sandwich 60p
2 slices wholegrain bread filled with 4tbsp each of grated reduced-fat Cheddar and carrot mixed with 2tsp reduced-fat mayo. Plus 1 apple.

Carrot, chick pea and orange salad 88p
1 wholemeal pitta with one serving of Carrot, Chickpea and Orange Salad (see recipe).

Jacket potato with ham coleslaw £1.00
1 medium jacket potato with 5tbsp reduced-fat coleslaw mixed with 4tbsp grated carrot and 2 slices chopped lean ham. Serve with salad and fat-free dressing.

Roasted carrot and hummus dip with pitta £1.07
One serving of Roasted Carrot and Houmous Dip (see recipe) with 1 wholemeal pitta. Plus 1 kiwi.

Slaw salad with mango and chilli £1.12
One serving of Slaw Salad with Mango and Chilli (see recipe). Plus 1 medium banana.

Carrot and coriander soup with crusty baguette £1.40
In a large pan, fry ½ small chopped onion and 1 medium chopped carrot in 1tsp sunflower oil for 3-4 mins. Add a pinch of ground coriander, season and cook for a further minute. Add 1/2 pint veg stock and simmer until the veg are tender. Whiz in a blender until smooth, reheat and then add a small bunch of chopped fresh coriander. Serve with a 10cm piece Granary baguette. Plus 1 apple.

Tuna salad £1.63
Salad made from lettuce, 1 tomato, 1 small grated carrot, diced cucumber, sliced spring onions and 1 small can tuna in water, tossed with fat-free dressing. Serve with 1 wholemeal pitta.

Dinners 500 calories

Cottage pie with carrot and potato mash £1.56
One serving of Cottage Pie with Carrot and Potato Mash (see recipe) with steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Plus 1 kiwi.

Roasted veg with mozzarella £1.70
1 small red onion, ½ red and green pepper, 1 small courgette, 1 large carrot and 1 small sweet potato cut into similar sized pieces, tossed in a roasting tin with 1tsp olive oil and black pepper and roasted until cooked through. Top with ½ small ball sliced mozzarella cheese and return to the pan until melted. Serve with a 5cm piece Granary baguette.

Sticky pork kebabs with sweet carrot slaw £1.73
One serving of Sticky Pork Kebabs with Sweet Carrot Slaw (see recipe) with 1 wholemeal pitta and salad with fat-free dressing. Plus 1 kiwi fruit.

Pasta primavera £1.88
1 clove garlic, 1 small red onion, 1 carrot and a small handful each of broccoli florets, green beans and mushrooms chopped and fried in 1tbsp sunflower oil until tender. Add 100ml vegetable stock and a splash of white wine and season. Boil until the sauce is reduced. Stir in 8tbsp cooked wholewheat pasta and heat through. Serve with 2tbsp grated Parmesan and salad with fat-free dressing. Plus 1 slice canteloupe melon.

Salmon with new potatoes, carrots and broccoli £1.93
1 grilled or steamed salmon steak with 3 new potatoes boiled in their skins and steamed carrots and broccoli.

Chicken, pepper and carrot fajitas £2.08
1 chopped small skinless chicken breast and fajita seasoning fried in 1tsp sunflower oil. When almost cooked through, add 1 small onion, ½ green pepper and 1 small carrot, all cut into large chunks. Cook for 5-10 mins until soft but crispy on the outside. Use to fill 2 small wholewheat wraps topped with 1tbsp each of salsa, low-fat soft cheese and guacamole.

Beef stir fry with crispy carrots £2.13
One serving of Beef Stir Fry with Crispy Carrots (see recipe) with 7tbsp cooked brown rice.

Snacks 200 calories

Toast and peanut butter 10p
2 slices wholegrain toast with 2tsp peanut butter.

Coleslaw and carrot filled pitta 31p
1 wholemeal pitta with 3tbsp reduced-fat coleslaw mixed with 4tbsp grated carrot.

Fresh fruit with yogurt 65p
1 apple, 1 small banana and 1 pot fat-free fruit yoghurt.

Avocado and tomato-topped oatcakes 74p
2 oatcakes topped with 4tbsp guacamole and 1 sliced tomato.

Tzatziki with carrot sticks 78p
½ tub tzatziki with 1 carrot, cut into sticks. Plus 1 apple.

Fruit and nuts 79p
10 almonds and 2tbsp raisins.

Wine with salsa and carrot sticks £1.35
1 small glass red or dry white wine with 4tbsp salsa and 1 carrot, cut into sticks. Plus 10 olives.

*Prices were compiled in 2009