DAY 1 : Christmas Feast

Believe it or not, you actually feel great after a big Christmas Feast. Eating the right foods can eliminate the feeling we often get when overeating – you know the one? like you are pregnant with triplets and can’t survive the day without that afternoon nap! So, below is a feast that you can easily cook up for Christmas entertaining without the guilt and overindulgence. You can even just use some of the recipes combined with your traditional favourites to lighten things up a little.

Salt & Pepper Roast Chicken

1 x large organic chicken
1 x lemon
1 x bunch thyme
1 x bunch rosemary
1 x garlic clove, cut in half
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200⁰ C. Make a few incisions in the lemon and then stuff the lemon and thyme in the cavity of the chicken. Drizzle the chicken with EVOO, give it a really good sprinkle of salt and pepper and then use the cut garlic clove to rub the oil and salt pepper all over the chicken. Spread the rosemary on a roasting tray and top with the chicken. Bake for 45 minutes and then spoon over any juices from the chicken or some melted butter. Roast for a further 30 minutes or until the juices come out clear when you pierce the thigh. Cover with foil and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving and serving.

Crunchy Roast Potatoes

1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into thick wedges
1 handful of garlic cloves, crushed
1 handful of sage leaves
1 handful of rosemary
1 lemon, zest

Preheat the oven to 180⁰C. Boil the potatoes in simmering water for 7-10 minutes or until just tender. Pour into a strainer, return the potatoes to the pot, put the lid on and give it a good shake to scruff them up a bit. Then spread them on a baking tray with the garlic, sage and rosemary and give them a good drizzle with EVOO before sprinkling on some salt. Roast for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until nice and golden, turning half way. Before serving, dust with with lemon zest.

Maple Roasted Pumpkin, Pear & Walnuts with Rocket & Feta

1 x butternut pumpkin, cut into wedges
2 x pears, cut into wedges
2 handfuls of walnuts
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
rocket and feta to serve

Preheat the oven to 180⁰C. Spread the pumpkin, pears and walnuts on a baking tray. Combine the oil, maple syrup and cumin seeds and spread over the pumpkin, pears and walnuts. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until browning and starting to caramelise. Remove from the oven, serve on a bed of rocket and top with some fetta and a drizzle of olive oil.

Spinach, Pea & Radish Salad

4 large handfuls of spinach
1 cup of peas, defrosted
3 x radishes, sliced paper thin
2 spring onion, finely sliced
1 handful of mint, finely chopped
1 tablespoon EVOO
1/2 lemon, juice only

Combine ingredients and drizzle over EVOO and lemon juice.

Grilled Asparagus with Pomegranate & Almonds

2 bunches of asparagus
1/2 pomegranate, arils only
1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted

Grill the asparagus until charred and tender. Spread on a plate and top with pomegranate and almonds.

NOTE: I only have a small oven so I cooked the pumpkin dish earlier in the day and then put it back in the oven to re-heat when the chicken was resting. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil).

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