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'I ate like Zendaya for a week - it was so easy and cost less than I thought'
If you think celebrity diets are boring or expensive, think again - a week of Zendaya-inspired meals was so cheap yet tasted delicious
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If a film has Zendaya in a starring role then you just know it's going to be good. The 28 year old actress is hugely talented and a major source of fashion inspo for many, whether on the red carpet or on a press tour.
She's one of those people that just always looks flawless - to the point where I really had to struggle not to whip my phone out in the cinema and Google 'Zendaya workout routine' whilst watching Challengers in the cinema last year.
Since then, I've been really keen to know what she does in order to keep looking and feeling her best. And as we know, diet is a huge part of a healthy lifestyle, so I thought this was a good place to start.
READ MORE: 'I've never been in better shape than I am now - what I did was simple'
Restrictive or fad diets are a big no for me, but after doing a bit of research, it turned out Zendaya's favourite meals were wholesome, nutritious and sounded delicious too.
I spent one week cooking her favourite dinners for myself, and I was surprised at just how cheap, filling and easy every dinner actually was - with one taking less than 10 minutes to throw together.
But first, I had to think about what I was actually going to make. Zendaya went vegetarian at the age of 11, but this wasn't an issue for me - I'd also been meat-free for almost a decade, only recently starting to eat fish again.
I then spent some time trawling past interviews with the star in which she's talked about food, and there have definitely been quite a few. It was actually very refreshing to see someone speaking so candidly about eating and actually enjoying it, but at the same time recognising that it's not always possible to eat healthy on a busy schedule.
The five meals I chose were all obviously meat-free, but very filling with one boasting more than 40g of total plant protein, the Express reports.
And the cost of all my ingredients for the week came to less than £30, which astounded me. Planning five different meals for a week is something I never do, purely because thinking of ideas is exhausting, but I didn't expect it to be so affordable and maybe I'll change my ways now.
Here's everything I ate, and how I made it.
Monday: Crispy rice salad First up on the menu for the week was a crispy rice salad (Image:
Nicola Roy/Reach PLC)Zendaya previously told Seventeen magazine that her go-to lunch was a rice salad with a bunch of different veggies such as mushrooms and courgettes. Sadly, I'm a big mushroom hater, so this was a no-go for me - and to be honest, the recipe didn't sound like it would be very flavourful at all.
So I decided to put my own spin on one of her faves with this crispy rice salad packed with plant-based protein sources such as tofu, edamame beans and chickpeas, carrots and spring onions, all topped with a zingy peanut dressing that really tied it all together.
We started off incredibly strong with this protein-packed dish that was so unlike any other salad I'd tried before. Baking the rice gave it such an interesting crunch, and it kept me full from dinner all the way until bed time.
You can read my full recipe here.
Tuesday: Avocado pasta I was less impressed with the avocado pasta (Image:
Nicola Roy/Reach PLC)After starting the week on such a high with the rice salad, I couldn't wait until the following evening when I could whip up an avocado pasta dish described as 'freaking delicious' but so simple, by Zendaya herself.
I then found a recipe online which seemed to fit the bill. All you need to do is blend together an avocado, one spoonful each of olive oil and lemon juice, two garlic cloves and a handful of fresh basil, and season to taste with salt and pepper before mixing it with pasta.
This dish was lacking something, in my opinion. The flavours didn't quite go together - maybe a slightly un-ripe avocado was to blame - but I added some chopped cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of grana padano and it was fine.
Probably not something I'd make again, but certainly not terrible.
Wednesday: Ramen The cheat's ramen came together in just 10 minutes (Image:
Nicola Roy/Reach PLC)There's not a week that goes by when I don't eat noodles for dinner at least twice. For this reason, I've always got a pack of instant ramen in the house and I'll not hear a bad word spoken about it - if you jazz it up with a few extra ingredients, it's the perfect meal.
I was going out this night so it was the ideal time to whip up this easy dinner. Simply cook your ramen according to the packet instructions and top the noodles and broth with whatever you have in the fridge.
I went for the tofu left over from Monday's dinner, some mangetout, an egg and some spring onions. And if instant ramen is good enough for Zendaya - like she raved about in an interview with Harper's Bazaar - then it's good enough for me.
Thursday: Lentil chilli The lentil chilli was a winner (Image:
Nicola Roy/Reach PLC)Food is most definitely a love language, so when I read that Tom Holland likes to cook a lovely lentil chilli for Zendaya, I knew I had to include this in my week of meals.
A good veggie chilli is one of those meals that always hits the spot, but specifically on those cold, dark nights. They're also excellent for freezing or keeping in the fridge for future meals - but more on that later.
All you need to make this chilli is one tin of tomatoes, green lentils and black beans, as well as a red onion, two garlic cloves and two carrots, and let it simmer away with plenty of seasoning until everything is tender. I had a stray chilli con carne seasoning packet in the back of my cupboard which I used for the flavour, but a combination of cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, chilli powder also works great.
Served up with lime and coriander rice - with an unpictured dollop of sour cream on top - this dish was an absolute winner with plenty left over.
Friday: Veggie burrito A delicious veggie burrito rounded off my week of Zendaya meals (Image:
Getty Images)Please excuse the stock image of this meal - there is truly no way to make a homemade burrito look in any way appealing - but my final Zendaya-inspired dinner of the week was another 10/10.
Again, so easy to make with the leftover chilli and rice from the evening before, sour cream, avocado and some grated cheese all contained in a delicious wrap.
Frying them for a few minutes on both sides gives them a delicious crispy exterior, so it's definitely worth taking a few extra minutes to do this.
Granted, these probably weren't as good as the burritos Zendaya reportedly likes to eat on set, but they were still pretty delicious and cost pennies to make.
And although the actress most definitely has a dedicated team to help her look and feel her best, I definitely felt good eating like her for the week. You really don't need meat for every meal - there are plenty of healthy plant-based sources of energy that will keep you satisfied and also taste amazing.
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