Nashauna Drummond • Lifestyle Coordinator

Fried rice is a great way to use a little of all you have left over from the holiday. And the best part is, it's healthy too. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Eating healthy during the Christmas season is sometimes impossible; but your health depends on it. So after indulging in all that cholesterol over the past two days, let's begin the task of detoxing. With so much leftovers, you can whip up a healthy meal without slaving in the kitchen again today. Check your inventory and see what you have to 'tun yu han and mek fashion'.

Chicken Caesar Salad

This is a great way to use up some of the vegetables you have stocked up on for the holidays before they go bad.

Method

Wash all the vegetables you are going to use in ice-cold salt water and set aside (the cold water helps keep vegetables crunchy).

You can add your own croutons by cutting bread (if you have French bread or hard dough, those would be fine), into small squares, lay out on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven. Turn the croutons about half-way through, to ensure both sides get toasted. The most important thing here, is to not over-toast - you want croutons that are crunchy on the outside and still soft in the centre.

Reheat bits of chicken, and toss with your vegetables.

Serve with your favourite dressing or make your own.

Home-made dressing: In a small bowl whisk some lime juice and olive oil and sprinkle over salad, add warm croutons, sprinkle shredded parmesan and/or cheddar cheese and enjoy.

Ham Chop Suey

There are many ways you can use leftover ham. From a simple sandwich to a protein source in fried rice.- Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking/baking time:

15 minutes

Serves: 4

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbs soya sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb (450 grams) ham, cut into

thin strips (leftover roast beef or

poultry can be substituted for

ham.)

4 tbs vegetable oil

2 stalks celery, cut into diagonal

strips

2 medium carrots, cut into strips

1 small sweet pepper, cut into

strips

4 heads pak choi, coarsely

chopped

1/2 lb (225 grams) bean sprouts

1 lb (540 grams) cabbage,

coarsely shredded

1/2 cup onion or scallion,

chopped

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Method

1. Mix together black pepper, soya sauce and garlic, add ham.

2. Heat two tablespoons oil in frying pan, sauté celery and carrots for three to five minutes.

3. Add sweet pepper, pak choi, bean sprouts and cabbage. Toss well to combine.

4. Remove vegetables from frying pan, add remaining oil. Sauté onion or scallion until transparent. Add ham mixture and vegetables. Allow to heat through for two minutes.

5. Dissolve cornstarch in water and pour over ingredients, allow to heat through for another two minutes, tossing constantly.

Serve immediately over hot rice or noodles.

- Recipe courtesy of www.gracefoods.com

One-pot meals are also a great way to have a delicious well-balanced meal in just a few minutes.

Christmas Fried Rice

3 cups rice (rice that has been cooked the day before is great for fried rice, but if you don't have any left over, then you can cook some prior to making this dish and leave to cool)

2 tbs oil

1 carrot, diced

1 small onion, chopped

1 tbs soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup meat of your choice this is a great way to use up the meats you have. You can add cubes of chicken, ham or vegetables if desired.

Method

In a large frying pan, heat oil and sauté carrots and onions until softened. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper and stir. Add the meat and heat through. Add other leftover vegetables like corn and peas if you have them. Add the cooked rice and stir constantly until heated thoroughly.

Slices of that most-favoured pork product, ham, is good any way you have it. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Chicken, turkey or ham sandwiches are very quick, easy and nutritious. A great way to keep your family fed and you out of the kitchen.- Contributed

TURKEY

Turkey is easy to come by this week in a number of supermarkets and meat shops in both urban and rural areas.

A pound (454.55g) of turkey will cost $284 and the size will range from 10-15lb. To add that extra special flavour, Cranberry sauce is available in a number of supermarkets.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes should be easy to come by this week in most retail markets. The asking-price will range from $50 to $60 per pound (454.55g). Island capitals like May Pen and Spanish Town, will ask $50 per pound, as will most rural markets.

Downtown Kingston's cheaper selling spots will quote $50 for a pound of sweet potatoes, while Montego Bay's Charles Gordon Market will quote $60 for a pound.

Pot Roast

Pot roast should be on good offer in meat shops and supermarkets this week.

Most meat shops - rural and urban, will ask $180 for a pound (454.55g) of pot roast this week.

Some supermarkets in both rural and urban areas will ask $187.20 for a pound.

Ackee

This half of our national dish, is on fair offer these days in most retail markets.

Montego Bay's Charles Gordon Market will this week quote $80 for a dozen ackee, while most rural retail markets will ask $60/$70.

Downtown Kingston's less expensive selling spots, will ask $60 for a dozen ackees this week.

Yellow Yam

Yellow yam is also on fair offer this week in most retail markets. However, it will not be cheap.

Island capitals such as May Pen and Spanish Town will ask $70/$80 for a pound (454.55g). This will also be the price quoted in downtown Kingston.

Montego Bay's Charles Gordon Market will this week quote $70 for a pound of yellow yam.

Cooking Tomatoes

Cooking tomatoes are on fair offer this week in a number of retail markets and vegetable shops. However, it will not be cheap in any of the selling locations.

Markets in May Pen and Spanish Town, are asking $120/$150 for a pound (454.55g). This will be the price quoted in most rural retail markets.

Downtown Kingston's less-expensive selling spots, are quoting $120/130 per pound. Montego Bay's Charles Gordon Market is asking $150 per pound.

Sweet Pepper

Most rural capital markets will ask $200 for a pound (454.55g) of sweet peppers as will downtown Kingston.

Montego Bay's Charles Gordon Market will ask $250 for a pound of sweet peppers.

Cabbage

This leafy favourite is on good offer in most retail markets these days.

Most rural retail will ask $60/$70 for a pound (454.55g) of cabbage this week. This will also be the asking price in downtown Kingston.

Montego bays Charles Gordon Market will ask $60/$70 per pound.

Scallion

Scallion remains high priced this week in most retail markets across the island.

Montego Bay's Charles Gordon Markets will ask $250 for a pound (454.55g) of scallion this week, as will downtown Kingston's not-too-costly selling spots.

Most rural retail markets will ask $200 for a pound of scallion.