Chestnuts
Chestnuts (not to be confused with horse chestnuts or conkers) are a versatile nut that now are conveniently packaged so that you can buy them dried, vacuum packed, puréed or ground ready to cook with and add to recipes. At Christmas time probably the nicest way to have them is roasted, 20 minutes in a hot oven is all it takes. If you purchase the whole nuts look for smooth shiny plump ones. Chestnuts have lower levels of protein and fats than most nuts, 100g contains just 3 grams of fat and 170 calories against 64g of fat in hazelnuts and 600 calories in most nuts, but they are higher in carbohydrates.
Sprouts
Sprouts are definitely the marmite of vegetables – you either love them or hate them! They belong to the brassica family of vegetables that includes cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli, but many people find them much stronger in taste than these other vegetables. Part of the problem lies in cooking, in years gone by they would have been boiled for a long time giving them a taste of iron and making them very soggy. Really they only need 5-10 minutes cooking, leaving them with a bit of firmness. Steaming them or stir frying them is preferable as you retain many more of their nutrients. Sprouts are rich in B6, folic acid and vitamin C; they also contain phytochemicals and glucosinolates that have cancer-fighting properties. The nutrients are easier for the body to absorb when some fat is present, so cooking in a little oil or partnering with another food such as chestnuts is good for health and taste.
Cranberries
Cranberry sauce is easy to make, why not have home-made rather than shop bought with your Christmas meal…Simmer 75g caster sugar, the juice of 2 oranges, the zest of 1 orange, 3 tablespoons of port and 250g of cranberries until the berries have burst. Then cool, pop in a serving bowl and add an extra dash of port before serving.
If you are not a fan of cranberry sauce, then here are some other things you can try with the seasonal berries. Add them to mulled wine; they will soak up all of the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves as the mixture simmers. You could add them to home-made or a packet of stuffing, dried would work just as well here. If you find mince pies can be a bit sweet, add some fresh cranberries to the mixture they will give the pies a lovely tang once cooked; just swap out 10% of the dried fruit that the recipe calls for.
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