Beat the January blues with our three recipes to help your family eat a rainbow

CHILLY weather getting you down?

Then try eating to beat the January blues.

A few small tweaks to your food can make a big difference to your mood.

What’s more, cutting out takeaways and ­processed foods can leave your body – and your ­grocery bills – a whole lot lighter.

Mel Hunter has some simple, low-cost tricks to get you started plus ideas for tasty meals.

Find these recipes and more at recipes.lidl.co.uk.

• Price per serving based on proportion of ingredients used.

Eat your greens, reds, yellows…

RESEARCH shows that eating a rainbow-style selection of ­different coloured foods is a great way to boost your intake of vitamins and minerals.

Enjoy munching red tomatoes, pink grapefruits and orange mangoes when the winter weather seems stuck on grey.

Nutritionist Alex Allan explains that ­different coloured foods each contain different ­nutrients, which are ­important for good gut health.

This, in turn, affects your outlook on life and your immunity to illness.

“Each day, aim for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, white and brown foods,” Alex advises.

“That could mean porridge, nuts and defrosted blue- berries for breakfast, a bright soup for lunch and meat or pulses with vegetables in the evening.

“Aim for protein at every meal.”

Wake up the feel good factor

KALE and Brussels sprouts are great sources of vitamin C, so pile them high on your plate to reduce tiredness.

Eat alongside chicken and turkey, which pack in the protein and are foods that trigger the feel-good chemical serotonin.

They also contain vitamin B12, which helps keep moods on an even keel.

Vitamin D is important for maintaining health and happiness, but during winter we may struggle to get enough from the sun.

Turn to foods like salmon, sardines, eggs, soya milk and mushrooms for a great ­seasonal boost.

Go nuts for filling snacks

IF your tummy is rumbling and you need to snack, opt for protein-packed nibbles rather than a quick sugary fix.

Alex suggests a few plain nuts, a couple of boiled eggs or some chicken satay sticks.

She adds: “Traditional sweet snacks will give you a ­temporary boost, but you’ll just end up ­feeling rubbish an hour later.”

Start the day sunny side up

ENJOY a hearty breakfast and try to eat at regular times.

“The key is keeping your blood sugars on an even keel,” Alex explains.

“Move away from sugary cereals and try to have a savoury breakfast instead, like two boiled eggs with wholemeal toast.

“Eggs are packed with nutrients and a good source of protein, which helps avoid a mood-changing spike in glucose and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.”

Another good choice is porridge.

Eat it with some added protein, says Alex, such as chopped almonds or a dollop of nut butter.

Brighten your mood with food

YOU don’t need to turn your back on ­comfort food altogether.

Just try to opt for wholegrain bread, pasta and rice, served with a sauce packed with veg or plenty of greens on the side.

Warming stews and casseroles make a great family meal, made with lean meat and plenty of tasty veggies.

Alex says: “I use the slow cooker to make stews, using cheaper cuts of meat or good-value tinned pulses.

“Even if you are not vegetarian, adding them to a meal will make your food go further.”

Bulk out soups and stews with extra veg, which count towards your five a day.

Sip, sip, hooray!

KEEP your water intake up to enjoy a whole range of benefits that will make you feel better.

Studies have shown that people who drink a good amount of water have a lower rate of ­anxiety and depression.

Sipping on six to eight glasses each day will also make you feel more alert.

Any drink without added caffeine, alcohol or sugar also counts.

Haddock & Prawn Fish Pie with Sweet Potato Mash

GET all the comfort of a classic fish pie – but with a fraction of the calories – thanks to a low-fat creamy sauce, fibre-rich sweet potato topping and lots of good-for-you greens.

(Serves four )

YOU NEED:

• 1.3kg sweet potatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500g leeks
• 200g reduced fat soft cheese
• 250ml fish stock
• 1.5 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 unwaxed lemon
• 400g frozen haddock ­fillets, defrosted
• 180g frozen raw jumbo king prawns, defrosted
• 200g frozen peas

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas mark 6.

Peel the sweet potatoes then cut into chunks.

Put in a saucepan and cover with cold salted water.
Bring to the boil and cook for 16-18 minutes or until tender.

Drain in a colander then leave to steam dry.

While the potatoes are cooking, halve the leeks lengthwise and slice.

Heat the oil in a separate large saucepan.

Cook the leeks with a pinch of salt for 6-8 minutes until softened.

Stir in the soft cheese, then gradually add the stock and stir to a simmer.

Put the cornflour in a small bowl and blend with 1½ tablespoons water.

Stir into the creamy stock and continue to stir until thickened.

Remove from the heat.

Zest the lemon and add to the sauce — with the juice of half the lemon for extra zing — along with the chopped dill. Season to taste.

Cut the haddock ­fillets into large chunks. Stir into the sauce with the prawns and peas (adding the peas while still frozen keeps the lovely colour).

Transfer to a 2.2- litre oven dish (about 20cm x 27cm x 6cm deep).

Mash the sweet potatoes and season.

Spoon over the fish mixture, taking it to the edges of the dish.

Rough up the surface with a fork to encourage crispiness.

Place on a baking tray and cook for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling up around the edges.

Allow to stand for ten minutes before serving.

Thai-style Chicken and Rice Soup

SPICY, fragrant and full of zing, this delicious Thai-style soup is bulked out with rice to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
The best bit is it provides two of your five a day.

(Serves four)

YOU NEED:

• 75g brown rice
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 15g fresh ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 400g chicken breast ­fillet
• 320g stir-fry vegetable pack
• 300ml light coconut milk
• 300ml chicken stock (made using half a stock cube)
• 120g mangetout
• 200g bean sprouts
• Juice of 2 limes
• A pinch of fresh ­coriander to garnish

METHOD: Put the rice in a saucepan and fill with water. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, until cooked.

Meanwhile, grate the garlic and ginger.

Heat the sesame oil in a large, deep frying pan or wok and fry the garlic and ginger gently for 1-2 minutes.

Add the turmeric and curry paste and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.

Cut the chicken into chunky pieces and add these to the pan.

Stir-fry in the paste for 3-4 minutes, or until browned all over.

Add the stir-fry vegetables and fry for 2 minutes, then add the creamy coconut milk and stock.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Next, add the mangetout, bean sprouts and lime juice and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

When the rice is cooked, drain and add to the pan.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with coriander.

Serve with extra lime wedges for added zing.

Spicy Roasted Carrot, Kale and Coconut Dhal

CREAMY, colourful and crunchy, this satisfying dish is one for the ages.

(Serves four)

YOU NEED:

• 500g carrots
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp oil
• 225g red lentils
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 chillies (deseeded)
• 15g fresh ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 200ml light ­coconut milk
• 100g kale

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas mark 6.

Cut the carrots into chunky wedges and put them in a roasting tray.

Sprinkle over the garam masala, some seasoning and the oil and toss to coat the carrots. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the lentils in a large saucepan and add 400ml of water. Finely slice the onion and garlic, chop the chillies and add to the pan.

Grate the ginger and add it, too, along with the turmeric and cumin.

Bring to a simmer, then cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed.

Add the creamy coconut milk and continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Season well.

Then, 5 minutes before the end of the carrots’ cooking time, massage the kale with your fingertips for a minute until soft.

Add to the roasting tray and toss to coat in the spices.

Continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until crisp.

Serve the dhal in bowls with the carrots and kale on top.