How to make a healthy festive starter

With the countdown to Christmas now in single figures and the prospect of cooking the big lunch soon to become a reality, we couldn’t have been happier to receive a preview of Abel & Cole’s festive recipe boxes. This smoked salmon starter went down a treat – a fresh and zingy prelude to the rich-tasting dishes that are to follow. Try it for yourself, then pick up a copy of the December issue of Healthy Food Guide for more festive inspiration.

Merry Christmas!

Smoked salmon salad with citrus and spice

Prep: 30 min

Serves: 6–8

• 150g watercress

• 2 red onions

• 1 cucumber

• 3 limes

• 2 tbsp brown rice wine vinegar

• Pinch demerara sugar or to taste

• Pinch dried chilli flakes or to taste

• 400g smoked salmon

1 Rinse the watercress and pick out and discard any thick stalks. Gently pat the remaining sprigs dry with kitchen paper, then set aside.

2 Peel and very finely slice the red onions. Halve the cucumber lengthways, then use a vegetable peeler to make thin strips, stopping when you reach the seeded core.

3 Finely grate or pare the zest from the limes, then add to a bowl. Squeeze in the lime juice. Add the brown rice wine vinegar, sugar and chilli flakes. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Taste and add more sugar/chilli as needed.

4 Divide the watercress, red onion and cucumber ribbons among 6–8 small serving plates, or pile it all onto one big platter. Top with the smoked salmon, then spoon over the dressing. Serve straightaway.

Per serving (based on serves 6)

123kcal

18.4g protein

3.3g fat

0.6g saturates

5.2g carbs

3.9g sugar

1.7g fibre

3.2g salt

58mg calcium

1mg iron

LOW CAL

LOW FAT

LOW SAT FAT

LOW SUGAR

HIGH PROTEIN

GLUTEN FREE

DAIRY FREE

1 OF 5-A-DAY

This year, Abel & Cole is offering a choice of three Christmas Feast boxes with ingredients and recipe cards, each to serve 6–8. Take a look at what’s included, then place your order by 22 December at abelandcole.co.uk/christmas/feast-box:

The Merry Veggie Christmas Feast Box £80.00 (reduced from £100)

Cauliflower Soup with Saffron & Sage

Roast Stuffed Squashes with Christmas Spices

Hot Harissa Tomato Sauce

Potato Skordalia

Cumin Roast Celeriac & Parsnips

Broccoli with Sesame & Lemon

Red Cabbage with Pomegranate

Brilliant Baked Orange & Cardamom Cheesecake

The Brilliant Beef Christmas Feast Box £140.00 (reduced from £160)

Smoked Salmon Salad with Citrus & Spice

Roast Topside of Beef with Mustardy Onion Gravy

Dishy Horseradish Crème Fraiche

Yorkshire Puddingle Bells

Goose Fat Roast Spuds & Snips

Lemon & Cumin Carrots

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Lardons

Honeyed Red Cabbage with Bramley Apples

Jewelled Chocolate Torte

The Terrific Turkey Christmas Feast Box £180.00 (reduced from £200)

Smoked Salmon Salad with Citrus & Spice

Butter Roast Turkey with Cider Gravy

Sage & Shallot Stuffing Balls

Goose Fat Roast Spuds & Snips

Lemon & Cumin Carrots

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Lardons

Honeyed Red Cabbage with Bramley Apples

Jewelled Chocolate Torte

Enjoy the Great British Bake Off with a biscotti!

The nation’s favourite baking show draws to a close tonight. Each week we’ve watched with rumbling tummies and gaping mouths as the Great British Bake Off contestants create delectable goodies containing enough fat and sugar to supply Willy Wonka for a year. If, like us, you want to enjoy the final tonight with a plate of something sweet and delicious but prefer not to exceed your Healthy Food Guideboundaries (which are working very nicely, thank you), be your own star baker and whip up a batch of GBBO 2012 winner John Whaite’s pistachio and rosemary biscotti.

Biscotti are twice-baked biscuits, perfect for dunking in your tea or coffee. They contain no fat and are lower in sugar than other cakes and biscuits. ‘So tell us the recipe!’ we hear you roar, as these are right up HFG’s street.

Pistachio and rosemary biscotti

Makes 18-20

·       125g plain flour

·       75g caster sugar

·       ½ tsp baking powder

·       Zest 1 large orange

·       50g dried apricots, roughly chopped

·       80g pistachio kernels, roughly chopped

·       1 rosemary sprig, finely chopped

·       1 egg

·       1tbsp milk

1.     Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C/gas 4.

2.     Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, apricots, pistachios and rosemary in a mixing bowl and stir together so that everything is evenly dispersed.

3.     Beat the egg with the milk using a whisk, and pour this into the bowl.

4.     Bring everything together into a dough, using your hands. Grab the ingredients and squeeze them together. Then, when the mixture forms a rough dough, knead it gently for a minute.

5.     Roll the dough into a long fat sausage (about 23cm long), then put it on the baking sheet.

6.     Bake for 25 min or until light golden-brown. Turn the oven down to 130°C/110°C/gas ½.

7.     Using a sharp serrated knife, slice into 1cm-thick pieces.

8.     Put these slices back on the baking sheet and return to the oven for 15 min.

9.     Allow to cool completely before eating

Per biscotti (based on making 18)

78kcal

2.2g protein

2.9g fat

0.5g saturates

11.4g carbs

6g sugar

0.8g fibre

0.1g salt

22mg calcium

0.5mg iron

LOW CAL

LOW SALT

VEG

Great British Bake Off winner and chef John Whaite is encouraging the nation to cook up a storm with simple recipes like this, joining forces with Currys & PC World, where you can get all the equipment you need to get baking. Visit www.currys.co.uk/baking