Too often the thoughts "I am too busy" or "I don't have the time" are the first barriers. By reading The CSIRO Low-carb Diet Easy 100 you have already jumped the first hurdle to make the commitment to improve your health and lifestyle, so your next step should be to mark in your calendar when you plan to start. Don't make it "tomorrow" - be realistic. Plan to start in a suitable week, preferably one free of excess commitments and social activities.

You will need a few planning days before you start the diet. Read through the recipes and select a few to cook for, say, the first week (don't forget to bookmark your favourites as you go through). Next, set aside a day to check what ingredients you already have on hand, and what you need to put on your shopping list. Once you've done the shopping, pick a day where you will either have help to prepare and chop ingredients for a whole week or, if you're on your own, for at least two recipes. It's likely that many of the recipes you select will call for the same ingredient. If this is the case, get ahead by prepping the ingredients for the meal you're cooking as well as for the next one.

Store your prepared ingredients separately in clean, airtight containers in the fridge (for up to three days) until you are ready to use them. Moving forward, set aside at least one day a week when you can plan and prepare. Sunday is often a great day for planning the week ahead. It is a good idea to select one recipe that you can portion and freeze.

Get in the habit of freezing your left-over portions, or making double quantities for freezing, so you'll have meals to heat and go for your busiest days. Don't forget to label the container with the name of the recipe and the date. Have ziplock bags and airtight containers handy, including microwave-safe ones so you can thaw and heat.

When making major changes to your diet, it doesn't always mean you need to completely clean out your pantry and start from scratch. However, look at the foods you have that don't fit in the new plan and, if you don't want to throw them out, donate them to friends or family.

As you browse through the recipes, you'll see what kitchen equipment you're likely to need. You'll see that the oven, microwave and barbecue are all used. If you don't have a barbecue, you can use a chargrill pan on the stovetop.

Make sure you have the right tools on hand to make meal preparation more efficient and enjoyable. A set of accurate kitchen scales, preferably digital, will be essential for weighing food, as well as accurate cup and spoon measures.

Other useful kitchen equipment:

Ingredients

1 300g chicken breast fillet, sliced in half horizontally to make two thin steaks

1/4 cup (60ml) tomato passata (no added sugar or salt)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 cup basil leaves, plus extra for serving

80g cheddar, grated

Salad

4 cups mixed salad leaves

1 tomato, diced

1 small Lebanese cucumber, sliced

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Place the chicken steaks on the baking tray. Top each piece with two large spoonfuls of the passata, then sprinkle with the crushed garlic. Top with the basil and grated cheese and season with freshly ground black pepper. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through. Move to the top shelf of the oven and turn on the grill. Grill for three minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

3. For the salad, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.

4. Divide the chicken parmigiana between two plates (be careful with the topping as it can slip off) and serve with the salad, garnished with the extra basil leaves. To reheat leftovers, place the chicken on a baking tray and cook in a preheated 200°C (180°C fan-forced) oven for five minutes until warmed through. Serve with the salad.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 red capsicum, seeded and sliced into 1cm strips

1 zucchini, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

Pinch cayenne pepper

400g tinned whole peeled tomatoes

8 55g free-range eggs

2 slices multigrain bread, toasted and sliced in half

4 cups baby spinach leaves

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, capsicum and zucchini and cook for five minutes until tender. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin and cayenne pepper and stir through for one minute or until fragrant.

2. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, using a wooden spoon to break them up, then bring to a simmer. Make an indentation in the sauce with the spoon, then crack an egg into the hole. Repeat with the other eggs. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for five minutes, undisturbed, until the egg whites have set.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and divide the shakshuka between four plates. Serve with the toast and spinach, garnished with the parsley.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

80g (1/2 cup) white quinoa, rinsed well and drained

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

2 200g salmon fillets, skin on

Pinch of paprika

2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, stalks cut into 4cm pieces diagonally

1 cup (100g) sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and thinly sliced

3 cups baby spinach leaves

1 cup mint leaves

1 cup roughly chopped coriander

1/4 cup finely chopped dill

3 tbsp unsalted almonds, roughly chopped

3 tbsp unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Yoghurt dressing

1/2 cup (130g) natural yoghurt

1/4 tsp freshly ground

black pepper

Juice of one lemon

40g soft goat's cheese

Method

1. Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse under cold tap water for one minute. Place in a saucepan with one cup (250ml) water over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature. (You can put it in the refrigerator to speed this up.)

2. To make the yoghurt dressing, place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine, mashing the goat's cheese in well with a fork.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the salmon, skin side down, sprinkle with the paprika and cook for four minutes. Flip, then cook for another three minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. Transfer the salmon to a plate and loosely cover with foil.

4. Place the cooled quinoa, asparagus, sugar snap peas, spinach, mint, coriander, dill, almonds, pistachios and pumpkin seeds in a bowl and toss to combine.

5. Divide the pilaf between four shallow bowls. Flake the salmon and place it on top of the pilaf, drizzle generously with the yoghurt dressing and serve.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

600g unflavoured textured vegetable protein, rehydrated according to the packet instructions (see note)

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Pinch dried chilli flakes

1/2 cup (125ml) tomato passata\ (no added sugar or salt)

Spicy mayonaise

2 tsp hot sauce

1 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise

2 tbsp natural yoghurt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To serve

1 iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped

1 small avocado, sliced into wedges

1 lime, sliced into wedges

Method

1. Place all the ingredients for the spicy mayonnaise in a small bowl\ and mix well to combine.

2. For the vegetarian taco "meat", heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the rehydrated textured vegetable protein and cook, tossing occasionally, for five minutes until golden. Add the spices and cook for one minute until fragrant. Add the passata and stir it through for 30 seconds until everything is well coated.

3. Divide the vegetarian taco "meat" between four bowls, then add the lettuce, tomatoes, coriander and avocado. Drizzle over the spicy mayonnaise and serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over.

Note: We've used dehydrated macro textured vegetable protein in this recipe, found in the health food aisle of the supermarket.

Serves 4.