And finally, the last fast until Excess

It was the Dolphins Christmas lunch yesterday and the old mans birthday so what to do? Combine the two. All 92 of us had a fine time in the Hotel Metropole. We all ate and drank too much which would have been OK, but when we got home we just continued eating and drinking.

I gave the old man the night off and promised everyone that I wouldn't cook, so we had the most fattening Indian takeaway... It was delicious. If you have already had to eat a few too many sausage rolls and, oh alright then, it would be rude not to, eaten yet another mince pie, this salad is something you can crunch your way through most piously.

Just remember to be as smug as possible during this moment of self righteousness because this time next week you will be singing carols at the radio whilst making yet more sausage rolls with one hand and wrapping all the last minute presents with the other.


Raw vegetable salad with a zingy, spicy dressing

It’s good for us to eat lots of raw vegetables, so salads should be a big feature in our diet. This salad combines different textures with an Asian-inspired spicy dressing. It is so easy to vary according to the different seasons and works either on its own, or with fish, chicken, tofu or eggs. Other veggies you could use include bean shoots, finely sliced spring onions, raw beetroot strips, courgette ribbons, cauliflower florets or shredded cabbage. If you have well-flavoured food, it is easy to be satisfied with a small amount.’
SERVES 2
Calories per serving: 88 with dressing; 53 without
Preparation time: 15 minutes

handful rocket leaves 5 cals
50g celeriac, peeled and grated or cut into strips 15 cals
1⁄2 sweet red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips 15 cals
25g cauliflower and broccoli florets 8 cals
1⁄2 red onion thinly sliced 10 cals
1⁄4 cucumber, sliced diagonally 7 cals
1 celery stick, sliced diagonally 6 cals
1⁄2 carrot, peeled and sliced into ribbons 17 cals
1 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted 32 cals
fresh Thai basil or coriander leaves, to garnish

FOR THE ZINGY, SPICY DRESSING
grated zest and juice of 1⁄2 lime 10 cals
6-8 drops sesame oil (less than 1 tsp) 45 cals
1⁄2 tsp Thai fish sauce 2 cals
1⁄2 tsp tamari or light soy sauce 2 cals
1 tsp sweet chilli dipping sauce 11 cals

● Arrange the prepared vegetables in individual piles on a serving platter or tumble them together. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scatter over the basil or coriander leaves to garnish.
● Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Transfer to a dipping bowl and serve alongside the vegetables.