January is the cruellest month. I’m paraphrasing T.S. Eliot here, but the Christmas tree’s been composted, turkey scraps have long gone and mince pies are no longer acceptable breakfast fonder – forgive me for feeling bleak.

My New Year’s resolution is always the same: eat better, exercise more. Both are flash-in-the-pan plans, but I managed the former last year by packing my meals with veg (not the kind roasted in goose fat, sadly) and cutting out meat. Here are the recipes I’ll be testing this month…

Courgettes are one of my favourite vegetables to cook with – I often slice them into ribbons and toss with chilli, garlic and olive oil or mix half-moons into carbonara – but I’ve never considered them a soup ingredient. This one is pistachio-coloured when puréed thanks to a generous handful of basil, while our food editor’s version with leek and garlic will warm the cockles when it’s freezing out. Excellent for desk lunches or speedy suppers alike.

Beetroot is a beautiful ingredient to cook with. If you’re entertaining friends who are furiously ‘detoxing’, try a platter of beetroot-stained salmon with dill sprigs and walnuts or this raw salad of chioggia beets and peppery rocket. Both dishes are super-healthy and zing with freshness. 

Wander London’s food markets and you’ll see stacks of rosemary-salted fougasse, fresh-from-the-oven French sticks and flour-dusted pain au levain, but I've still never ventured into bread-making territory This recipe is from Izy Hossack, an 18 year-old food blogger whose book ‘Top With Cinnamon’ came out last year, might change my mind. It combines butternut squash, sage, ricotta and feta on top of a squidgy focaccia loaf. Swoon.

This Anjum Anand recipe for spiced butternut squash slices is also a winner; I’ll be trying its caper yogurt accompaniment with everything from deep-fried polenta and crispy potato skins to cold roast beef. When I cave and eat meat again, that is…

LOOK HERE TOO...

Five healthy recipes for the New Year
10 healthy and easy dinner recipes
10 vegetarian dinner recipes
Try our recipe finder