News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Burgers and muffins may not sound like slimming foods, but in part two of our exclusive low-calorie recipes from the 5:2 Cookbook, prepare to be surprised by what you CAN eat on the two-day-a-week diet!

On the plan, you eat normally for five days a week – women consume 2,000 calories and men 2,500 a day – and then restrict your calorie intake for the other two days (500 calories a day for women and 600 for men). And the concept is taking the country by storm.

Intermittent fasting is proven not only to help you lose weight, it could also help you live longer thanks to its health benefits. But if restricting your calories on fast days sounds difficult, these tasty recipes by nutritionist Angela Dowden contain as few as 90 calories per portion, but still tickle your taste buds, will fill you up, and could help you lose up to 3lb a week! And with the recipes serving at least four, you can feed the rest of the family at the same time. So what are you waiting for?

** If you missed yesterday’s recipes in the Sunday Mirror, go to mirror.co.uk.

(Image: Michael Michaels)

Asian tuna salad

178 calories per serving

Serves 4

Prep time : 15 mins, plus marinating

Cooking time : 1 min

350g tuna steak, cut into strips

3tbsp soy sauce

1tsp wasabi paste

1tbsp sake or dry white wine

200g mixed salad leaves

150g baby yellow tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber, sliced in wide, fine strips

Dressing :

2tbsp soy sauce

1tbsp lime juice

1tbsp brown sugar

2tsp sesame oil

1 Mix together the tuna, soy sauce, wasabi and sake or white wine in a non-metallic bowl. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

2 Arrange the salad leaves, tomatoes and cucumber on four serving plates.

3 Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients

in a screw-top jar.

4 Heat a nonstick frying pan over a high heat, add the tuna and fry for about 10 seconds on each side or until seared. Place the tuna on top of the salad, drizzle with the dressing and serve.

(Image: Michael Michaels)

Apple and blackberry muffins

200 calories per serving

Makes 12

Prep time : 15 mins

Cooking time : 20-30 mins

6tbsp light muscavado sugar

1 red apple, about 150g, cored and sliced

200g blackberries, roughly chopped

1tsp ground cinnamon

250g plain wholemeal flour

4tsp baking powder

2 eggs, beaten

125ml semi-skimmed milk

125ml rapeseed oil, plus extra for cooking

1 Mix together the sugar, apple, blackberries and cinnamon in a bowl.

2 Sift flour and baking powder into a separate bowl and make a well in the centre. Mix together the eggs, milk and oil in a jug, then pour into the well and stir until blended. Stir in the fruit mixture, taking care not to mix too much. Divide the mixture among the sections of a lightly oiled or paper case-lined 12-hole muffin tin.

3 Bake in a preheated oven at 200C/Gas Mark 6 for 20-30 mins or until a skewer is inserted and comes out clean. Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool.

(Image: Michael Michaels)

Mushroom stroganoff

90 calories per serving

Serves 4

Prep time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 25 mins

1tbsp rapeseed oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 celery sticks, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

600g mixed mushrooms, chopped

2tsp smoked paprika

250ml vegetable stock

150ml soured cream

Pepper

1 Heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for 5 mins or until beginning to soften. Add the mushrooms and paprika and cook for a further 5 minutes.

2 Pour in the stock and cook for a further 10 mins or until the liquid is reduced by half.

3 Stir in the soured cream and season with pepper. Cook over a medium heat for 5 mins. Serve immediately.

(Image: Michael Michaels)

Easy corned beef hash

227 calories per serving

Serves 4

Prep time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 11-12 mins

1tsp vegetable oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

350g cooked new potatoes, roughly chopped

300g corned beef, roughly chopped

1tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Pepper

1 Heat the oil in a large, nonstick frying pan, add the onion and fry for 5 mins until softened. Add the potatoes and corned beef and cook for further 6-7 mins, turning the mixture occasionally so that parts become crisp.

2 Add the parsley and stir through. Season to taste with the Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Serve immediately.

(Image: Michael Michaels)

Chicken burgers with tomato salsa

135 calories per serving

Serves 4

Prep time : 15 mins, plus 30 mins chilling

Cooking time : 6-8 mins

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 spring onions, finely sliced

1tbsp pesto

2tbsp fresh mixed herbs, such as parsley, tarragon and thyme, chopped

375g minced chicken

2 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

1tsp olive oil

For the salsa

250g cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1tbsp coriander, chopped

Grated rind and juice of 1 lime

1 Mix together all the ingredients for the burgers except the oil. Divide the mixture into 4 and form neat, flattened rounds. Cover and chill for 30 mins.

2 Meanwhile, mix together all the tomato salsa ingredients in a bowl.

3 Lightly brush the burgers with the oil and cook under a preheated hot grill or on a barbecue for 3-4 mins on each side until cooked through. Serve immediately with the salsa.

For more details on how the two-day diet works and more delicious recipes, read ‘The 5:2 Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Fasting’ by Angela Dowden, Spruce, rrp £7.99. To order a copy for the reduced price of £6.99 with free P&P, call the Mirror Bookshop on 0871 803 6772.

See your GP before starting any diet.