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Mulled 'wine'
Mulled wine is a traditional Christmas drink made with  spices and citrus fruits. This non-alcoholic mocktail version is something the whole family can enjoy.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
 2 cups water
 1 cup honey
 12 whole cloves
 4 cinnamon sticks
 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 2 litres cranberry juice
 Zest and juice of an orange
 Zest and juice of a lemon
 2 1/2 cups of orange juice
Method
 1 Put water, honey, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and zest in large pan, bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
 2 Add the cranberry, orange and lemon juices, lower the heat and warm for another 30 minutes.
 3 Strain mixture out of pan.
 4 Serve in cups with slices of orange or lemon.
Turkey salad
Don't know what to do with your turkey leftovers? Sick of sandwiches? Ring the changes with this salad.  
 Serves 4-6
 3/4 cup basmati rice
 1/4 cup wild rice
 1/2 cup dried cranberries
 3/4 cup cooked turkey (or chicken), cut into thin strips
 1/4 cup cucumber, cubed
 1/4 cup sliced spring onions
Dressing
 1/2 clove garlic
 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
 1 tablespoon lemon juice
 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
 Salt and freshly ground pepper  
 Large handful of basil leaves
Method
 1 Cook rice with water/vegetable stock. Fluff up cooked rice  and place it  in a  serving bowl.
 2 Make the dressing by blitzing garlic, cranberry sauce, lemon juice, olive oil,  mustard, salt and pepper in a small blender.
 3 Add cranberries, turkey, cucumber and spring onions to rice.
 4 Mix dressing in with the rice mixture. Sprinkle  with basil leaves before serving.
Cake bites
These moreish mini bites  are a great twist on the traditional sliced Christmas cake. Perfect for peckish visitors.
Makes 28 to 32 balls
 2 cups leftover fruit cake or Christmas pudding
 200g dark chocolate
Topping
 170g white chocolate
 Edible Christmassy decorations
Method
 1 Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
 2 Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of hot water.
 3 Crumble the cake or pudding into a mixing bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate/butter mixture and mix.  
 4 Take a heaped teaspoon of mixture and roll into a bite-sized ball. Repeat until  the mixture is used up. Refrigerate for an hour or until firm.
 5 Melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Use a teaspoon to cover the top and sides of the chilled puddings with white chocolate, and decorate as desired. Put in the fridge for about half an hour to allow the white chocolate to set.
Wynnie Chan is a British-trained nutritionist. If you've got a question for her or would like to be featured in this column, e-mail nutrition@scmp.com



Christmas fare