January is a time of resolutions, and diets are often on top of that list. I’ve stopped making false promises to myself that I am going to do X or Y diet, which I can never keep up with, and is instead considering to do a quick detox and clean out my pantry. It was unbelievable the amount of excess I used to accumulate, and over the years I have often shaken my head as I tossed out old cereals, spices that were way past their vibrant selves or cans beyond their sell by date. It’s an awful shame really and a waste. I am not laughing now; we live in a different era where money is tight, hard to earn, difficult to save and easy to disappear.

Now that times are economically tough, I’m not such a hoarder anymore. Before, I liked my pantry to look full and with many choices. I have since tightened my belt and my cupboards may not be as packed, but at least they only contain what I truly need. The only thing I am unapologetic about is my vast array of spices from around the world. My palate gets bored easily, so if I am in the mood for whatever cuisine, I can reach inside and voila! my craving is satisfied.

Lately, I have been tossing out mainly junk food items. I want to reach inside my pantry without feeling guilty about whatever I procure. I think instead of going on fad diets, we should be more conscious of what we buy in the first place, and not our shopping trolleys or baskets with things that are bad for us. Discipline begins at purchase point. This, for me, is the more sensible solution; if it is not good for you, do not get it. Food is money, so wasted food is money lost, and we cannot afford to lose.

Recently I have been getting many emails asking for my advice on diets and other weight loss programmes. As I have said many times before, I am not a doctor or a nutritionist, so please ask your medical practitioner for advice. I can only speak of my personal experiences, which may or may not work for you. Also, remember that my recipes are only a guide. The beauty of food is that you can add or subtract what you like to make it your own. Each of my recipes is triple tested before publishing and yes, all of the photos you see are cooked, created and styled each week by myself and the shots are taken by Jamaica Observer photographers. The food is real not fake. All ingredients are available in Jamaica. I receive mine each week from MegaMart for this column. They are located on Waterloo Road, Kingston; Portmore, St Catherine; and in Montego Bay, St James. I also supplement the ingredients I get from this store with items from the market. If there is anything you see that is not available in your area, I am sure if you speak to the management of your local grocery store they can source it for you. So now that I have cleared the air on the above issues, let’s get cooking with this week’s healthy recipes for mid-week suppers.

Poached Tilapia in a Cilantro Tomato Sauce

This is a quick and simple healthy dish. Serve with couscous or brown rice and green vegetables or salad for an easy supper. If you don’t have cilantro, thyme is just as nice, albeit with a different flavour profile.

Ingredients:

1 can diced tomatoes, puréed

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp Scotch bonnet pepper sauce

1 large bunch cilantro, leaves roughly chopped

1 kg tilapia, cut into chunks

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a large saucepan, heat the puréed tomatoes, garlic, pepper sauce and 3/4 the amount of cilantro together and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and add fish to the sauce, bring to the boil again then simmer on low heat for 5 minutes or until cooked through.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper, add more pepper sauce if you like lots of heat and garnish with the rest of cilantro.

Pork and Prunes

Pork and prunes are a classic combination. The two most common ways is with a cream sauce, or the prunes are stuffed inside a pork loin. I’m going to prepare it as a lighter stew version. I like adding ginger and orange to mine for an added lift. If you have any leftover prunes from the holidays, this is a good way to use them up.

Ingredients:

6 pork loin chops, cut into chunks

1 onion, finely sliced

12 prunes, sliced

1 glass of white wine

Zest and juice of 1 orange

1-inch piece of ginger, grated

500ml chicken broth

1 tbsp vegetable oil, for sautéing

Method:

In a deep frying pan, fry the pork in the vegetable oil in batches until golden brown, and remove from pan.

Add the onions and sauté until translucent.

Pour in the wine, chicken broth and orange juice and bring to a boil.

Add the pork, orange zest and ginger and reduce to a simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Add the prunes and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes or more until the meat is tender.

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Bon Appétit!