Meals for two

The perfect antidote to the rich, festive fare we all find ourselves indulging in at this time of year. It really brings the best out of simple seasonal ingredients.

Recipes with minimal ingredients get a great boost from miso, which lends lots of flavour with minimum effort here

Lean turkey steaks cook quickly, are a good source of protein and absorb the flavours of this smoky, rich sauce, which is packed with four of your 5-a-day

A quick cucumber and spring onion pickle adds crunch and an acidity that complements the oil-rich mackerel fillets

Feel free to swap or add in any veg you have to hand – courgettes are great, as are cherry tomatoes and green beans

Pork chops or grilled chunky white fish fillets also work well in this easy recipe. Serve it with steamed green beans and a glass of chilled white wine for a Friday night treat

Peas not only lend colour and sweetness to this soup – when roasted with spices, they add texture as a crunchy garnish too

Subtly sweet cider pairs so well with briny mussels. Treat yourself to an extra glass of cider on the side

Think you’re too busy to make mash from scratch? Chop your potatoes into 2.5cm chunks and cook them in a pan with the lid on – they’ll be ready in a fraction of the usual time.