By Judy Davie

It's always cheaper to buy fruit and vegetables when they are in season and it's always easier to lose weight when you eat plenty of low energy vegetables and fruits.

This month we focus on fresh in season fruit and veg with the added bonus of extra fibre. You'll feel full but will have so much energy, exercise is something you will want to do.

The main fruit and vegetables in season this November are listed below. Look out for local produce markets near your area, usually held on the weekend. You can buy the produce at a much better price than you'll find in the stores and it's more fun too.

Fruit	Vegetables
Avocado Banana Berries Cherries Grapefruit Oranges Lychees Passionfruit Pineapple Red papaya Yellow papaw	Asian Greens Asparagus Green beans Cucumber Chillies Lettuce Onion Peas Potatoes Silverbeet Sweetcorn Tomatoes Zucchini

Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. You can also drink unlimited cups of peppermint, chamomile, and lemongrass herbal tea.

Day one | Day two | Day three | Day four | Day five | Day six | Day seven

Day one

Breakfast

1 mango
2 tbs all bran
200g tub low fat natural yoghurt
Cup of tea with skimmed milk

Morning snack

2 grain crackers
2 tbs low fat ricotta cheese
1 tomato

Lunch

Chicken and avocado salad
Small portion chicken (80g)
1 cup chopped rocket lettuce
1 small tomato
3 slices avocado
10 steamed green beans
1 tbs oil and vinegar dressing
7 lychees

Afternoon snack

10 raw almonds
1 coffee, latte made with skimmed milk

Dinner

2 medium lamb chops (fat trimmed) and grilled
1 tbs mint sauce
3 small potatoes, boiled
4 medium spears asparagus, steamed

Day two

Breakfast

1 cup mixed berries
½ cup untoasted (no added sugar) muesli
1 tbs all bran
1 x 200g tub natural low fat yoghurt
Cup tea with skimmed milk

Morning tea

1 coffee, latte made with skimmed milk

Lunch

2 boiled eggs
1 cup rocket salad
3 slices avocado
1 tomato
1 small carrot, sliced
1 tbs oil and vinegar dressing
2 rye crackers

Afternoon snack

1 large Valencia orange
10 raw almonds

Dinner

3 thin lean pork sausages
1 cup stir fried bok choy with 3 capsicum rings (stir fried in 1 tsp olive oil)
1 tsp soy sauce

Day three

Breakfast

Yellow papaw smoothie made with 1 cup pawpaw, 1 cup low fat natural yoghurt and ½ tsp cinnamon
2 small slices grain bread toasted
A smear of butter and vegemite
Cup of tea with skimmed milk

Morning tea

1 coffee, latte made with skimmed milk

Lunch

1 cup rocket lettuce
½ Lebanese cucumber
1 small tomato
3 slices avocado
1 small can red salmon
10 steamed green beans
1 tbs oil and vinegar dressing
2 rye crispbread

Afternoon snack

Banana

Dinner

150g steak, grilled and fat trimmed
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 steamed sweetcorn
½ cup silverbeet, with 1 tsp olive oil and seasoning

Day four

Breakfast

2 poached eggs
2 small slices of grain bread toasted
2 medium mushrooms, sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil
1 small tomato
Cup of tea with skimmed milk

Morning tea

1 coffee, latte made with skimmed milk

Lunch

1 cup rocket lettuce
½ cup lentils, (from a can and drained)
1 small can tuna, packed in brine
1 tbs oil and vinegar dressing
1 small carrot, grated
2 rings capsicum

Afternoon snack

1 x 200g low fat natural yoghurt
1 large Valencia orange

Dinner

Stir Fry Chicken and veggies with brown rice

Recipe:

This recipe is developed for one person. If making for two, double the quantities. If making for four, quadruple the quantities for everything other than the oil, garlic and chilli. Instead use 1 tbs oil, 2 cloves garlic and 2 small red chilli.

0.5 tbs olive oil
90g chicken breast, cut into strips
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 red chilli
4 strips of capsicum
1 small carrot, cut into strips
1 tbs soy sauce
Juice of ½ lemon
2 medium shallots, chopped
1 cup bok choy, chopped

Heat the oil in the wok and add the chicken and garlic. Stir fry for 4 - 5 minutes.

Add the chilli, carrot and capsicum and stir fry for a further 4 minutes. Combine the soy sauce and lemon juice together and add to the pan, and cook for another 3 minutes. Finally add the shallots and boy choy and stir for another 2 - 3 minutes until the greens are cooked but retain their crunch.

Serve with ½ cup of boiled brown rice.

Day five

Breakfast

½ cup untoasted, no added sugar muesli
200g low fat natural yoghurt
½ cup pawpaw
½ cup blueberries
Cup of tea with skimmed milk

Morning tea

1 coffee, latte made with skimmed milk

Lunch

8 small pieces of sushi

Afternoon snack

10 raw almonds
7 lychees

Dinner

Haloumi and veggie kebabs with savoury cous cous
(It's hard to believe you're on a diet with this recipe — it's delicious!)

Recipe:
50g haloumi, cut into cubes
12 button mushrooms
1/3 red capsicum, cut into cubes
1/3 red onion, cut into chunks
2 zucchini, sliced approximately 6mm thick
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic
½ lemon juice
Black pepper
¼ cup chopped herbs (whatever you have)

Prepare the haloumi and vegetables and place in a bowl. Mix the olive oil and lemon juice, seasoning and herbs together and pour over into bowl. Allow to marinate for a couple of hours, occasionally turning the ingredients with a spoon to make sure the marinade coats everything.

Thread bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 10 minutes.

Heat the grill and cook the skewers for 12 minutes turning regularly.

To make the cous cous:

Place ¼ cup cooked cous cous in a bowl with ½ cup boiling water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Remove the wrap and fluff up with a fork. Add seasoning, a few springs of chopped fresh parsley and 1 tbs chopped slivered almonds.

Day six

Breakfast

2 slices grain bread toasted
1 medium banana, grilled on the top
½ tsp cinnamon
1 mug tea with skimmed milk

Morning tea

1 coffee, latte made with skimmed milk
10 raw almonds

Lunch

1 cup wholemeal pasta and 2 tbs pesto sauce
1 cup rocket and parmesan salad with 1 tomato

Afternoon tea

1 x 200g tub skimmed milk yoghurt
1 large Valencia orange

Dinner

140g Tassal salmon fillet, baked in oven and served with…
1 tsp pesto
3 chopped shallots
1 cup steamed bok choy,
1 small zucchini
1 medium sweetcorn cob,
(wok-fry the veggies in a small amount of water)

Day seven

Breakfast

½ cup blueberries
½ cup strawberries
1 x 200g tub low fat natural yoghurt
1 tbs All Bran
Mug of white tea with skimmed milk

Morning tea

1 coffee, latte made with skimmed milk

Lunch

Tuna and salad sandwich made with grain bread, 2 slices avocado, grated tomato, lettuce, sliced tomato and capers

Afternoon tea

Mug of tea with skimmed milk
1 piece banana bread (no icing)

Dinner

Chicken breast with 1 teaspoon of pesto sauce, served with 3 small boiled potatoes, 5 steamed or grilled asparagus spears
1 glass of white wine