'I'm what you'd call a second-hand-chef. Along with my grill [George Foreman's Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine] came the ability to cook. A lot of things I just couldn't cook because they needed ovens and things of that nature - the grill has altered my life completely, tremendously.

Originally, in my first career in the 1970s, I was a steak and potato man. By my second career in the 1990s I had to tame it down, I couldn't put on so much weight so I cut down on the steak. I love burgers so much and now I can't eat what I want when I want, veggie burgers and turkey burgers replace the steak - I cook them on the grill. Chicken wings are nice because, if you learn how to doctor them with spices, you can stay in good with your children, especially the girls. A whole piece of chicken may frighten them away but a chicken wing keeps them content. My boys will go for a whole chicken - I cook chicken on the George Foreman Grilling Machine.

We have a total of 10 kids so at one time or another there are always three or four around the house to cook for. My wife will cook on the big oven and I'll have fun with all the grill items. My five boys are all called George, it can get confusing, but if you're going to be a boxer you have to make preparations for memory loss. The salmon is good for memory loss. A good breakfast for me is egg-white omelette and salmon on the side, from the grill, mmm-mmm. There are days when I'll just have omelette for protein and toast - I seldom grill the eggs, but I do grill the wholewheat bread. Orange juice can't be grilled, but it is so good for you and I drink tea in the afternoon, it's pleasant for your stomach. I say you can drink too much coffee but no one drinks enough tea. If it's kinda cold you want to make certain that you have bananas on hand for the kids. I try to stay away from unhealthy snacks because they will always come back and haunt you later. I like to eat healthily so I have some asparagus every day. I think asparagus should cost as much as a steak because it is important to your diet - I cook it on the grill.'

Jane Clarke's analysis

Veggie burgers

Seeing George's basket makes me want to hug him, but in view of his fearsome reputation, perhaps I'd better not. To start with, veggie burgers are a great high-protein, low-fat, easy-to-prepare food for vegetarians. One controversial issue surrounds soya protein, however: its high phyto-oestrogen (oestrogen-like chemicals) content, an over-consumption of which, anti-soya campaigners maintain, upsets the body's natural hormonal balance. But the flip side of the argument is that phyto-oestrogens also protect the body against dangerous xeno-oestrogens, oestrogen-type chemicals within the environment.

Bananas

Bananas, which have a well-deserved reputation for being a 'superfood', have an almost unparalleled ability to give the body an injection of long-lasting energy, their high fructose levels making them the perfect snack. Ignore the unfounded claims made by some diet 'gurus' that they make you fat: I've yet to see anyone who's become overweight through eating too many bananas (in any case, they're so satisfying that it usually takes only one to fill you up). Because bananas are also high in potassium, they're a useful antidote to fluid retention.

Vegetables

High in fibre, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids...where do I stop? The vitamins and minerals that vegetables give us are potent instruments in the battle to protect ourselves against killer diseases like cancer (particularly cancer of the digestive system) and heart disease, which is just one of the compelling reasons why we should all be consuming far more of them. And if you slot a few extra portions into your festive fare this month, not only will your digestion thank you (fibre keeps the gut moving), but your waistline will give you less cause for concern come January.

Wholemeal bread

Being high in fibre, dieters appreciate wholemeal bread because a slice of it fills you up far more effectively than its white counterpart (although it has the same number of calories), while people with slow digestive systems find that increasing their intake of cereal fibre helps to chivvy things along (but you need to drink plenty of water - ideally 2.5 litres a day - to trigger the fibre to work). People with ulcerative colitis, stomach ulcers or other inflammatory problems of the digestive tract may, however, find wholegrains too rough to handle and would be better off opting for a lower-fibre white bread.

Tea

Tea may contain caffeine, but a lot less than coffee, which makes it slightly healthier in my book (unless you're a serial tea-drinker). It also depends on how strong you make it: the stronger the tea, the heftier the caffeine hit, which can leave you feeling quite shaky, especially if you haven't eaten for a while. Tea furthermore contains some of the antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the incidence of heart disease, and although it may not be as rich in them as red wine, it doesn't give you a hangover either.

Chicken wings

George obviously likes his protein, which is no bad thing because it builds and maintains a strong muscle mass, as well supporting the immune system. Chicken is naturally low in saturated animal fat, and therefore calories, making it a good choice if you're watching your waistline or are worried that eating too much animal protein will result in too high a level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the less than healthy form of cholesterol. Boosting your protein intake during the dark, depressing winter months can help to boost your mood, too, because protein's amino acids can stimulate your brain to produce endorphins, or 'happy hormones'.

Freshly squeezed orange juice

Orange juice is a delicious way of providing your body with vitamin C, especially during the winter months, when this vital antioxidant wards off colds, in the longer term also working to stave off serious diseases like cancer and heart disease. If you tend to suffer from acidic indigestion, you may find that its high concentration of citric acid aggravates the problem, however, and that apple juice suits your stomach better. And if you have a high blood-lipid (fat) level, research has shown that drinking orange juice first thing in the morning can raise it even higher, so steer clear of the OJ until later in the day.

Turkey burgers

Like other animal proteins, turkey is high in zinc, a mineral that boosts both the immune system and the libido. At this time of year, you may feel tempted to take a zinc supplement, but more than 15mg a day and you're not doing yourself any favours because high zinc levels can sometimes actually precipitate, rather than prevent, the onslaught of colds. If, like George's, your diet is well balanced and includes zinc-rich foods like turkey and other meats, fish, seafood, hard cheeses and wholegrains, nuts, seeds, pulses and dried fruits, you shouldn't need to take a zinc supplement.

Salmon

Packed as it is with yet more protein, salmon offers benefits beyond providing the body with essential amino acids. Oily fish (including salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines and herrings) contains omega 3 fatty acids, which have the power to reduce the painful inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis (which can hit hard during the winter months), certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, and even menstruation. Omega oils are also good brain food, research recently having shown that if pregnant women eat them regularly they encourage the healthy development of their unborn babies' brains. Oily fish boosts the body's production of 'good' cholesterol, too, thereby reducing the incidence of heart disease.