Christmas and winter are usually closely linked to fat, salty or sweet foods, which when eaten in big quantities, do result in weight gain and tiredness. To help you through this period without weight gain, we have put together healthy Christmas recipes from our team. This will give you an opportunity to try something new. As we are from various countries, you will also have the chance to give your Christmas an international flavour.

Two healthy side dishes:

From Beth

Brussles Sprouts with Chilli

• 1 kg Brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2-3 small dried chillies
• 100 ml good-quality apple juice

Discard the bottom leaves from the Brussels sprouts and slice them in half. Melt the butter in a pan over a high heat and add the sprouts and chillies, frying them for two-three minutes. Add the apple juice and let everything simmer for about five minutes. The juice should evaporate and the sprouts turn golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

Parnship Puree with Cardamom

• 1kg parsnips
• 50g butter
• 1tsp ground cardamom
• 2tbsp cider vinegar

Peel the parsnips and cut them into small cubes. Melt the butter in a large pan over a high heat and chuck in the parsnips with the cardamom. Sauté for a round five minutes, until they start to colour. Cover with water and bring to boil, turning the heat down to let is simmer for around 45 minutes. Once the parsnips are soft, puree them with a hand blender, leaving it a little chunky if you like. Add the vinegar, season and serve with your roast dinner.