FOOD&DRINK

Healthy eating without the hunger pangs? Melissa Blease knows how.

According to outspoken French lit chick Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, ‘January is the month of empty pockets and indigestion; an anxious evil to be endured.’ If you’re among the millions who have managed to put on all the extra pounds that your bank balance shed over the festive season, you’re unlikely to argue. This month, frugality and moderation replace frivolity and indulgence at the top of the lifestyle charts. Bleurgh! It’s enough to make you reach for the rancid remains of the Christmas pudding... or it’s time to take a fresh look at the brand new year ahead.

A healthy-eating regime doesn’t have to mean an end to treats or satiated satisfaction. There’s a vast assortment of vibrant, exciting, wholesome seasonal produce waiting to be enjoyed rather than endured as winter rolls along. Treat it with the respect it deserves, and hunger pangs just ain’t on the menu.

Filling, low-fat roots and tubers (including spuds, parsnips, swede, turnips, carrots, onions and leeks) are abundant right now. Use them to create tasty casserole bases and fresh, silky broths before adding the leafy greens (purple sprouting broccoli, cabbage, spinach, kale, etc) that are guaranteed to bring a plentiful supply of vitamin- and iron-rich goodness to your table. On the protein front, goose, turkey, venison, pheasant, sustainable cod and scallops are trending right now at rock-bottom prices, while those in search of sweet treats should indulge their senses in the juicy, vitamin C-laden satsumas and dramatic blood oranges that are currently at their succulent best. Kick-start your day with a steaming bowl of porridge, replace cream with low-fat creme fraiche, ditch blobs of butter in favour of drizzles of olive oil and opt for quinoa, couscous or brown rice in favour of mashed potatoes, chips or hunks of bread, and your healthy-eating regime has suddenly turned into a wallet-friendly, tasty treat.

However, it is a truth universally acknowledged that even the most inspired domestic gods and goddesses need to take a break from the hob from time to time. But putting yourself at the mercy of a commercial kitchen doesn’t mean that you have to lose control. These days, healthy options abound on even the most mercantile menus, and staff are generally helpful when it comes to specific requests for a lighter order. Simple fish and poultry dishes (grilled, no sauce) teamed with plain or chargrilled vegetables instead of chips, or a baked potato instead of mash, offer a feast without the belly-busting fuss. Remember, though, that ultimately you’re in charge of how much (or rather, how little) you eat. In healthy-eating terms, size really does matter, and you’re not obliged to either order or scoff a supersized meal just because it’s there. Baileys cheesecake, meanwhile, is off the menu altogether – but then again, puddings are just soooo last year.

ORDER, ORDER!

Doorstep delivery schemes are the perfect option for those short on time and/or fresh inspirations. Riverford Organic (www.riverford.co.uk) oversee a network of independent franchisees who deliver over 40,000 boxes of locally sourced, region-specific, seasonal organic vegetables, fruit and meat a week to households across the UK on a one-off, weekly or fortnightly basis. If you like what you see here, you’ll also salivate over a selection of similar schemes specific to the Bristol area to be found under the ‘Box Schemes’ sub-header at Bristol Local Food (www.bristollocalfood.co.uk). In Bath, JP Organics (www.jporganics.co.uk) deliver locally sourced vegetables, fruit, eggs, bread, meat and dried goods – all certified by the Soil Association – direct to your door, while the ‘Complete Boxes’ (veg, fruit, salad and more) from Larkhall-based greengrocery guru Tony’s (www.tonysvegbox.co.uk) start at just £12 for a supply to keep two to three people in enough fresh stuff to last around a week.

Copyright Melissa Blease 2011