AFTER all the rich festive food, it's time to create meals which will contain all the nutrients you need, be warm and filling - but won't add more weight to an expanding waistline.

You also need dishes that have a distinctive taste quite unlike the party foods that have been consumed during the past ten days.

My choice is smoked haddock chowder made from undyed haddock that does not contain the bright quinoline dye, as it's a dish that can be cooked in under half-an-hour and is stuffed with all the good things you need at this time of the year to keep out the cold.

To serve two, you will need: 8oz (225g) smoked haddock fillets 16fl oz (450ml) milk 2oz butter (50g) One leek One medium potato Half a 326g-can of sweetcorn - drained Small bunch parsley - chopped fine Handful baby spinach leaves Salt and freshly-ground black peppercorns to season Method: Slice the leek into rings, discarding the green part Peel the potato and cut into small dice Pour the milk into a large frying pan, bring gently to full heat, add the haddock, then lower the heat and allow to poach for about five minutes, or until the fish is cooked Remove from the heat, place the fish on one side and pour the milk into a container In a clean pan, heat the butter, but don't let it brown Add the potato and cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently so that it doesn't brown. When the potato is almost done, add the sliced leek, the sweetcorn and parsley, season with a small pinch of salt and generous amount of ground black peppercorns, and allow to continue cooking on low heat for about ten minutes Carefully break the haddock into flakes, making sure that all bones are removed, and stir into the pot, along with a handful of baby spinach leaves that have been thoroughly washed Remove from the heat once the spinach leaves have wilted, and serve with warm crusty bread for a warming meal.