I hope you had a wonderful time over Christmas. I so enjoyed having time with family and friends, and also seeing so many of our customers enjoying themselves over the festive season.

There was, of course, too much delicious food and drink to enjoy, so now it’s time to get back to some normality. Maybe a bit of a detox? So today I have some healthy, yet tasty, recipes for you.

Roasted root vegetables is a dish that is delicious hot or cold. It also works with any combination of root vegetables you have to hand. An important tip to remember when making this dish is to ensure that the vegetables aren’t too crowded in the roasting tin. If they are, they will stew rather than roast. If you are in doubt, just use two smaller tins to be on the safe side. Swap the shelves in the oven half way through roasting and they will cook evenly.

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As you know, I am a lover of Vietnamese food and have enjoyed trips to that part of the world over the years. This noodle recipe is a great energy food. It is one that I love to eat when I’m feeling a bit under the weather but need my body to keep going. It’s a fantastic way of filling you up for the day and literally takes no more than 10 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

You can also put it in a flask and take it with you to work, perfect for the cold winter days ahead.

Keep an eye out for Home Chef, beginning soon on RTÉ 1. It was great fun to make and I hope you will enjoy it. It will air on Wednesdays at 7:30pm and will be up and running before the end of the month.

Happy cooking.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Buttermilk Dressing and Coriander Couscous

Serves four

20 baby carrots, peeled and trimmed

12 baby beetroot, trimmed and halved

10 baby leeks, trimmed and halved

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp caster sugar

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

225g (8oz) couscous

Juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Lightly-dressed salad, to serve

Buttermilk dressing:

75g (3oz) soft goat’s cheese or curd

75ml (3fl oz) buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6). Line a large roasting tin with parchment paper.

2. Place the carrots, beetroot and leeks in a bowl with the balsamic vinegar, sugar and 2 tbsp of olive oil, then toss to combine. Tip into the lined tin and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are just soft.

3. To make the buttermilk dressing, whisk the goat’s cheese and buttermilk until smooth. Season to taste.

4. Five minutes before the end of the vegetables’ cooking time, place the couscous in a large pan and drizzle over the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil along with the lemon juice, stirring gently to combine.

5. Pour over 225ml (8fl oz) of boiling water, stir well, cover and leave to stand for five minutes before gently separating the grains with a fork. Season to taste and reheat gently, stirring continuously with a fork. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander.

6. To serve, arrange the couscous on warmed plates with the root vegetables. Drizzle around the buttermilk dressing. Garnish with a good grinding of black pepper and the salad.

Vietnamese Pot Noodles

Serves four

450g (1lb) straight-to-wok thin noodles

1.2 litres (2 pints) chicken stock

1 tsp finely-grated root ginger

200g (7oz) pak choi, cut on the diagonal into strips

150g (5oz) baby corn, halved and sliced on the diagonal

150g (5oz) mangetout, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal

1 tsp cornflour

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

juice of 1 lime

150g (5oz) fresh bean sprouts

fresh coriander, to garnish

fresh mint leaves, to garnish

1. Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Set aside for five minutes, until softened, or as per the packet instructions.

2. Pour the stock into a large pan with the ginger and bring to the boil. Add the pak choi, baby corn and mangetout to the stock. Mix the cornflour with a little water in a bowl and then stir into the pan.

3. Return to a simmer and cook for two minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the soy sauce, chilli sauce and lime juice, stirring to combine.

3. To serve, drain the noodles and divide among warmed flasks or bowls. Add the bean sprouts and ladle over the flavoured stock. Scatter coriander and mint leaves on top and eat with chopsticks and a spoon.

4. To add variation to the dish, cook 350g (12oz) minute steak or chicken fillets on a lightly-oiled griddle pan, then cut into small pieces and arrange on top of the noodles.