Things to dip crudites in

Starter: Serves 4. Total time: 35 minutes

Healthy eating depends on having the right foods in the fridge. As a lifelong grazer, what I eat depends on what is to hand, and on a good day I prepare some raw vegetables and one or two things to dip them into – at least, that's the idea. Add freshly baked granary bread alongside the vegetables and dips, and I can snack happily and healthily.

Saffron Tzatziki

25 saffron filaments
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a
little extra to serve
1 tsp white wine vinegar
225g Greek yoghurt
1/2 tsp caster sugar
sea salt
1/2 cucumber
1 heaped tsp finely chopped shallot
1 heaped tsp finely sliced mint, plus
a little extra to serve
cayenne pepper

Walnut chutney

50g shelled walnuts
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, plus a little
extra
2 tbsp plain yoghurt
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Herb chutney

25g coriander leaves
20g basil leaves
15g flat-leaf parsley leaves
8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp chopped green chilli
1/2 garlic clove
sea salt

Saffron Tzatziki (preparation time 20 mins)

Grind the saffron in a pestle and mortar, and infuse in a teaspoon of boiling water for 15 minutes. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, yoghurt, saffron infusion, sugar and a little salt together in a bowl. Peel the cucumber, quarter lengthwise, remove the seeds and dice the flesh very finely by first slicing the quarters into thin strips. Add the cucumber, shallot and mint to the tzatziki, and taste for seasoning. To serve, decorate with a swirl of olive oil, a little finely sliced mint and a dusting of cayenne pepper.

The two chutney recipes given here are more Indian in character than British, on the healthy trail.

Walnut chutney (preparation time 5 mins)

Place the walnuts in an electric coffee-grinder and reduce to a thick paste. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and work until smooth, using a small whisk if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and dust with a little cayenne pepper.

Herb chutney (preparation time 10 mins)

Place all the ingredients in a liquidiser and reduce to a purée. Transfer to a bowl to serve.