Veg in January

If you've decided to start eating seasonally this year, but not sure which fruit or veg to go for, I thought you might like a pointer in the right direction. There hasn't been much change in the last couple of months with what's in season and in January you'll again be looking to use carrots, cauli, leeks, cabbage, Brussel sprouts and kale in your cooking.

Perhaps you're thinking this isn't the most inspiring collection of veg, but why not try the following?

• Grate carrot and add to sandwich fillings - grated or soft cheese, tuna or peanut butter are all good options.
• Chop carrot and onions, cook in veg stock and orange juice with a teaspoon or two of ginger for a lovely warming winter soup.
• Add small florets of cauli to a pan containing veg stock, chick peas, spinach, chopped dried apricots and a teaspoon or two of cinnamon - the cauli will soak up the tagine's flavour nicely.
• Mash cooked cauli with potato or other root veg, seasoning with black pepper, paprika or chilli to make a filling side dish.
• Cook chopped leeks in a pan with cauli and broccoli florets and pasta shapes. Meanwhile make up a cheese sauce - bring half a pint of milk to the boil, add to a paste made from1tbsp of cornflour and a little milk, then stir through a handful of grated cheese and season with black pepper. Drain the pasta and veg, pour over the cheese sauce - you can sprinkle over a little more cheese and brown under the grill.
• Add chopped leeks to a pan with chopped tomatoes, carrots and lentils, season with herbs of your choice then top with mashed potato and pop in the oven to warm through.
• Cook shredded cabbage and onion, then stir through mashed potato to make something that resembles Colcannon.
• Don't pull a face, but cabbage soup? Veg stock, shredded cabbage, a chopped onion and a chopped tomato, then you're set to go.
• Add chopped Brussel sprouts to any veg curry; they will absorb the spices beautifully.
• Offset the bitter taste of sprouts with a teaspoon or two of honey and mustard.
• Serve a fillet of fish on a bed of kale and baked cherry tomatoes.
• Mix cooked shredded kale and grated cheese with mashed potato, cook for a few minutes on each side under the grill and serve with a salad.