I’m a weight loss expert – my simple recipes will help you lose weight after the holidays

According to former Hollyoaks actress and weight loss expert Davinia Taylor, we can gain more weight during the summer holidays than we did at Christmas.

In fact, the average Brit gains as much as 2kg during the school holidays.

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The 46-year-old mother of two says: “In the UK we get so excited at the first sign of sunshine that we go absolutely crazy.

“In September we find ourselves lying on the ground, feeling worse than ever, and happily curling up under the duvet until the Christmas party season begins.”

The former ladette, who has lost more than 4st with her carefully crafted diet plan, shares a selection of recipes from her book It’s Not A Summer Diet, which will help you lose those summer pounds in two weeks.

From It’s Not A Summer Diet (Amazon e-book, £2.99)

BREAKFAST

Scrambled eggs (for 1 person)

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YOU NEED:

• 3 eggs
• A generous knob of butter
• Salt and pepper

METHOD: Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and crack the eggs into the pan.

Gently stir the egg whites with a wooden spoon. Try to leave the yolks whole.

Remove from heat. Or continue heating if you like your eggs firmer.

Add salt and pepper at the end to prevent the eggs from turning gray.

Greek yogurt (for 1 person)

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YOU NEED:

• 2 heaped tablespoons full fat Greek yogurt
• Handful of blueberries and/or strawberries
• Small handful of unsalted seeds or nuts
• 1 teaspoon honey

METHODIt is important to use full-fat yoghurt for this, for maximum protein and as few additives as possible.

It also tastes much better and keeps you feeling full for longer.

Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl, add the berries and nuts or seeds and pour the honey over it.

Protein pancakes (for 4-6 persons)

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YOU NEED:

• 1 banana
• 20 g almond flour
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• A knob of butter
• 1 tablespoon full fat Greek yogurt
• A handful of blueberries
• A dash of honey

METHOD: Place the banana, flour, egg white powder, baking powder and egg in a blender until smooth.

Heat a frying pan and melt the butter. Spoon the batter into the pan and turn after a minute. Repeat. Sprinkle with yoghurt, honey and fruit.

LUNCH

Protein rich wrap (for 2 persons)

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YOU NEED:

• Two windings
• Boiled chicken fillet
• 4 boiled eggs
• Bag of rocket leaves
• Salt and pepper

METHOD: Fill the wrap with protein-rich chicken fillet, eggs and arugula.

Season with salt and pepper. You can use mayonnaise, but avoid mayonnaise with vegetable oils.

Mackerel pate with crackers (for 2 persons)

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YOU NEED:

• A pack of smoked mackerel
• 1 tsp capers
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 tablespoon full fat cream cheese
• A pinch of chopped chives
• Prawn crackers

METHOD: Tear mackerel into pieces and place in a blender. Add capers, sour cream, cream cheese and chives.

Puree everything and garnish with some capers and chives if desired.

Spread it on crackers and enjoy.

Watermelon Feta Salad (for 2-4 persons)

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YOU NEED:

• ½ cucumber, sliced
• 180 g watermelon, diced
• 100 grams of feta
• Bunch of chopped mint
• A dash of olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Balsamic dressing

METHOD:Place the cucumber and melon in a bowl and sprinkle with the chopped feta and mint.

Drizzle with oil and balsamic dressing. Season to taste.

DINNER

Steak and salad (for 2 persons)

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YOU NEED:

• A generous handful of chopped coriander or other leafy herb
• A generous dash of olive oil
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 good quality steaks
• Green salad mix
• Salt and pepper

METHOD: Chop leafy greens, pour a dash of olive oil in a bowl and sprinkle turmeric over it to make a marinade. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and the chopped herbs.

Mix everything well. Dip the meat in the marinade and let it sit for an hour before cooking.

Cook the meat to your liking and serve with the salad.

Fish with vegetables and new potatoes (for 2 persons)

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YOU NEED:

• 2 cod fillets
• 2 handfuls of baby potatoes
• 6 garlic gloves
• 150 g green beans
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 200C. Halve the potatoes and boil them in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and let them dry for 2 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a frying pan, along with the 6 unpeeled garlic cloves. Add the potato halves and fry for 15 minutes.

Ten minutes before the potatoes are done, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the cod fillets, skin side down.

Cook for 4-5 minutes until the edges start to brown. Turn the fish over and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Trim the green beans and place in a pan of boiling water for 3 minutes or until al dente. Season with lemon and enjoy.

Crustless Quiche (for 6-8 persons)

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YOU NEED:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 handfuls of kale
• 1 red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 courgettes
• knob of butter
• Olive oil
• 1-2 tsp thyme
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 150 g Cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs
• Salt and pepper

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 200C. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into thin slices widthwise, so that you get circles. Put them in a bowl, drizzle a little olive oil over them and season.

Divide the potatoes over the quiche dish, line the base and sides with them and place the dish in the oven for 20 minutes, until the potatoes start to crisp up.
Cut the kale (remove the stems), the onion and the pepper into pieces and grate the courgettes.

Melt butter or a little oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft and add the pepper.

Cook for five minutes until the pepper softens. In the meantime, remove the stems from the thyme and finely chop the garlic and add to the pan.

Stir. Add kale and stir until it begins to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cherry tomatoes.

Grate the Cheddar cheese and crumble it into a bowl.

Break the eggs and stir in the cheese. Pour the vegetables into the quiche dish.
Pour the cheese-egg mixture over it and mix it with the vegetable filling.

Place everything back in the oven for another 25-30 minutes, until the top starts to brown.