After all the Christmas debauchery I fancy eating simple things: so far so normal. No sauces, nothing roasted and certainly no pudding. The attitude towards those boxes of leftover Celebrations and chocolate sprouts is ‘well I can’t just throw them out!’ Those blessed with kids let the kids scoff the lot, fast, pledging to put the offspring on Seriously Healthy Regime the moment the last wrapper lands in the bin – or only Coffee Escapes are left in the tin.
The unfortunate childless Google things like ‘which Cadbury Rose has the least calories’ and take handfuls of chocolates to the office only to find everyone has done the same. Salads are on the rise and nobody buys butter. But having said I fancied simple things post-Christmas I had in mind for instance a stripped beef burger: no bun, no chips, just salad on the side. It’s surprisingly good weight loss-wise when deconstructed.
But salads we must have so here’s a really good one: smoked mackerel with celeriac, avocado and red peppers. And you can get smoked mackerel in a supermarket, as there’s no fish market after Christmas because boats don’t go out according to old (fish) wives’ tale. And for the really hungry, or not bothered about carbs, here’s warm potato salad with smoked mackerel.
I am going to use up the root vegetables still in residence in my fridge – shush! don’t tell anyone they’d been bought before Christmas. This roast carrots and parsnips recipe can easily be adapted to include sweet potatoes, sprouts and whatever else is wintry, vegetarian and needs using up; and there goes a good, meat-free, comforting meal.
No more toasted panettone for breakfast. If you have some bananas in the freezer – and who hasn’t? – there’s breakfast oats smoothie to be made one or each morning. Gluten and dairy free for those who still believe it may be of any benefit; others have the smoothie because it tastes good. Or the baked buttermilk oatmeal – it can be prepared the night before and baked while you shower.
And finally a couple of fresh salad suggestions, to end on a super healthy note: crunchy cabbage can be made with green cabbage or a mix of red and green. And the lettuce wedge salad sneaks in a tiny bit of bacon and blue cheese – we can’t be ALL that virtuous all the time, right?