Emergency essentials

1. Emergency essentials Eggs for breakfasts and Boxing Day bubble and squeakIcing sugar for a festive frosting to any puddingCheese and biscuits - the perfect snack when you're too full for a full-blown mealChutney- for all the leftover cold meatsVanilla ice cream - allow to melt slightly and mix with leftover Christmas pud for an easy dessertFrozen peas - rustle up a pea and ham soup with leftover ham stock and gammonMayonnaise- a potato salad or coleslaw make easy Boxing Day sidesSauces- not just cranberry and bread, top up your tomato and brown for festive brunchesButter and self-raising flour - you've got the eggs, have these two to hand and you can always whip up a quick cake for guests

2. Side dishes Christmas spiced red cabbage serves 8 only 82 calories a serving and low fat too A vegetarian side dish that can be made in advance 1 large red cabbage (about 1kg/2lb 4oz) 25g butter 2 red onions, finely chopped finely grated zest and juice 1 orange 1 cinnamon stick 150ml port 1 tbsp red wine vinegar Peel off the outer leaves of the cabbage, then cut into quarters and slice out the core. Use a sharp knife or the slicing attachment of a food processor to thinly slice the cabbage. Heat the butter in a large saucepan, then tip in the onions and gently fry until softened, about 5 mins. Add the orange zest to the pan along with the cinnamon stick, then cook for 1 min more. Add the shredded cabbage, then pour over the port, red wine vinegar, orange juice and 150ml water. Bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 45 mins-1 hr until the cabbage is softened.

3. HEALTHY Vegetarian christmas(not a nut loaf) Goats cheese mushroom and leek parcels serves 4 (ONLY 200 CALS PER SERVING) 500g leeks, thinly sliced 150ml low-sodium vegetable stock 175g mushrooms, sliced 4 large sheets filo pastry 1 tbsp olive oil 85g goat's cheese or vegetarian alternative 1 tsp poppy seeds Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a large pan add the leeks and stock, then cover and soften for 5-8 mins. Then add the mushrooms, cover again and cook for 3 mins, remove the lid and cook until the juices have evaporated and then remove from the heat and pour the contents onto a plate to cool slightly . For each parcel, brush half of each filo sheet with a little olive oil. Fold the sheet in half and brush the edges with a little more oil, then spoon a quarter of the mixture along one edge. Crumble over a quarter of the cheese, fold the pastry edges in and roll up to seal in the filling. Put the parcels on a baking tray, brush with oil and scatter over the poppy seeds. Bake for 25 mins until crisp and golden brown.

4. Cookies for Santa and you Chocolate chip cookies makes 20 120g softened butter 75g caster sugar 100g of chocolate chips 180g self raising flour Pre-heat the oven to 190*c or Gas mark 5. Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add the flour and chocolate and mix with a spoon. Take a teaspoon of mixture and roll into a small ball. Pop onto a baking tray and squash slightly with a fork. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer onto a cooling rack. APRICOT AND WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES makes 20 100g Butter 100g Cream Cheese 100g Caster Sugar 75g Plain Flour 50g Chopped dried apricots 65g Chopped white chocolate Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/ gas mark 4 In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Gradually add the flour, then fold in the apricots and the chocolate. The dough will be quite soft – don’t worry. Drop the mixture by heaped teaspoons onto a non stick or lined baking sheet and bake in the oven until golden. Allow to cool and harden for a few minutes before removing them from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack.