STYLE | Food


Food for thought with seasonal food guru Jo Richardson


DELICIOUS JANUARY, FLAVOURFUL FEBRUARY


No sooner have we toasted cheers for New Year’s than the backlash begins: the famine after the feast; the purge after the splurge


Whether it’s gym, diet, detox or dry January – or Veganuary for some – it can all seem like self-denial and joyless penance at a time when we’re hard-pressed enough anyway. I’d rather exercise my fervent love of food and drink in making some discerning choices towards a healthier lifestyle that I can happily sustain not just for January but indefinitely.


Eating for the Earth


We can be forgiven for remaining confused about exactly what we should be eating for optimum wellbeing, given the weight of often conflicting advice around, but one message is clear: we need to consume more fresh veg and fruit, pulses and nuts, and limit our intake of red meat and sugar. Our resolve to put this into practice may be strengthened by recent studies concluding that such measures are protective of our planet’s health as much as our own. With emphasis on the positive, I see this as an opportunity to explore new culinary horizons and extend my repertoire of varied, tasty and satisfying plant-based dishes to keep within day-to-day reach.


Cooking up a classic


Equally, we can choose to stay within our comfort zone and select from a menu of classics from our favourite world cuisines. Fancy Italian? Brighten up the bleak midwinter with a hearty bowl of ribollita, the Tuscan bean and veg soup thickened with bread;


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or penne with the fiery tomato and herb arrabbiata sauce from Rome; or spaghetti with Neapolitan puttanesca sauce of garlicky tomato, black olives and capers.


How’s about Indian? There are many variations on dhal using different types of lentils and spices; or chana masala with chickpeas; aloo gobi with potatoes and cauli; or rice-based biryani with a mix of veg. Head to the south of the subcontinent for a creamier coconut milk-based curry experience or further east for a Thai green or red curry. Middle Eastern- style mezze might be just the thing to lighten the gloom, featuring such crowd-pleasers as hummus, falafel and flatbreads; or try a rich fruity, nutty North African veg tagine.


A little something to follow? Apple strudel, perhaps, or pear filo tart; grilled pineapple and banana kebabs drizzled with dark choc; or coconut milk rice pudding with rhubarb compote.


The joyful everyday


We can castigate ourselves for failing to rise to the new year’s dietary challenge or beat ourselves up over transgressions or falling off the wagon, for all the good that’ll do. Instead, why not spur ourselves on to lifelong sustenance success by focusing on the sheer pleasure to be had in eating in a balanced, moderate way every day.


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Food Heroes: Meet Ventnor Botanic Garden’s Head Chef, David Holley, who is passionate about introducing vegan meals into our weekly diets


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Family favourites: Gets kids into tasty, home-cooked food


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