Helen from Fuss Free Flavours rounds up her favourite Christmas recipes that aren’t necessarily the traditional turkey and roast potato…

Although I am a traditionalist, and creature of habit at Christmas time – we usually have a turkey (or large capon), with all the trimmings, followed by Christmas pudding with brandy (not rum) butter, then port and Stilton, I do wonder if it would be nice to ring the changes and try something different for once?

• I usually just have some fruit for breakfast on Christmas Day, to leave room for all the food later, but I love the look of Camilla’s Christmas soda bread, all the flavours of stollen and panettone for breakfast.
• Champagne and smoked salmon canapés are a classic pairing to have mid-morning whist opening presents, although I’d love to try Jeanne’s clementine, cranberry vodka cocktails which are such a pretty shade of pink.
• Some of Ren’s delicious looking cod, chorizo and pea puree canapés would make a refreshing and delicious change from smoked salmon.
• To accompany the Christmas turkey, most people bake a ham too. In a twist, Sarah from Taming Twins has baked hers with cider and apple juice seasoned with packet mulled cider spices.
• If you were thinking of ditching the Christmas pudding altogether in favour of something completely different I would have a look at Kevin’s mint aero cheesecake. It is sure to impress either on Christmas day, or for a party afterwards.
• This Christmas pudding alternative, still looks like a Christmas pudding, but is actually a cross between a traditional pudding and a black forest gateau. An amazing idea from Sarah-James.
• You either love or hate mince pies. I do like a good mincemeat to pastry ratio. I love Laura’s twist on the traditional pie, roasted pear and crumble mince-meat tarts – surely the addition of the pear means it counts towards your five a day?
• Kerry’s Christmas tree cookies are amazingly effective and impressive and can be made with far less effort than you might think.   Bake a batch for Christmas guests – they would also make an excellent last minute edible gift too.
• I greatly enjoy reading Bintu’s Sierra Leonean recipes, and would very much like to try her roast sweet potato and okra salad with refreshing chilli lime and mustard as a light supper on Boxing Day.
• Many people love to hate sprouts and I agree that overcooked mushy sprouts are horrible. However raw sprouts are amazing chopped and used in a salad. This seasonal sprout salad with bacon and pomegranate from Ciara looks lovely.

Helen Best-Shaw blogs at Fuss Free Flavours, and you can follow her on Twitter – https://twitter.com/fussfreehelen, Instagram – http://instagram.com/fussfreeflavours and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/fussfreeflavours.