Honey-glazed carrots are an excellent side dish to accompany your main meal, and as this recipe says, the honey and vinegar make them deliciously sweet and sour. Simply roast whole mini carrots in the oven for 30 mins with some sunflower oil and salt & popper, then pour some white wine vinegar and clear honey over them and roast for another 20 mins. Delish.

You could try the same method with parsnips as well.

Brussel sprouts – you either love ’em or hate ’em. But why not try something a bit different? Slice the sprouts and a leek or two and sauté them in sesame oil for a simply scrumptious alternative to steaming or boiling. Keep them crunchy! You could add fried bacon bits or pop some sliced chestnuts in the pan too. (Use the tinned variety – much less hassle!)

Or simply roast lots of different veggies for a large helping of winter goodness. I like a combination of these – the more the merrier, depending on the size of your dish: onions (white and/or red), parsnips, leeks, beetroot, carrots, squash, suede, courgettes, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. Roughly chop the veg into chunks of equal-ish size, throw them into a large roasting dish with some oil (olive or rapeseed oil, or whichever you prefer), wine vinegar (red, white or perhaps balsamic), mixed herbs and seasoning, then roast for about 45 minutes. I tend to add the courgettes and mushrooms after about 20 minutes as they cook really quickly. You could try adding some chilli flakes or paprika if you need a bit of extra spice. And the juices from the veggies are perfect for adding to your gravy.

It’s always good to pair roast veggies with a steamed or boiled green vegetable, like spinach and French beans. Or, as my friend calls them, squeaky beans!

Written by Ruth Sullivan