The bleaker the weather, the brighter the food, I say. It’s the new year, and January can be a cold, wet and dark second act following the holiday festivities. A perfect antidote is to create light and vibrant food to ward off the seasonal blues and balance out any celebratory excesses.

These Baja-inspired tacos piled with blackened shrimp channel the South, the border and beyond. They are vibrant and wholesome, not bogged down by any heavy sauces, cheeses or meat. A citrusy salsa and fresh avocado are light and healthy accompaniments, refreshing in their simplicity. The tacos are easy to prepare, requiring just a fair amount of chopping, which is a simple activity that distracts from any inclement weather outside. And, perhaps best of all, they are fun to eat, inviting interaction and hands-on noshing.

The blackened spice blend is meant to have heat, but feel free to adjust the cayenne to your taste. In fact, make a double batch to keep on hand to season fish and chicken for later meals. Store any remaining spice blend in a jar in your pantry.

Blackened Shrimp Tacos

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Yield: Serves: 4

Crema:

2/3 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon Sriracha, or to taste

Pinch of kosher salt

Salsa:

1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped

1 cup defrosted frozen yellow corn

1 small poblano pepper, seeded, finely diced

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Spices:

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

24 large (18/20) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact optional

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 large ripe but firm avocado, halved, sliced crosswise

Flour or corn tortillas, warmed

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Lime wedges

Whisk the crema ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until use.

In a separate bowl, combine the salsa ingredients. Taste for seasoning.

Combine the spices in a small bowl. Toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl. Add the spices and stir to thoroughly coat the shrimp.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Carefully arrange the shrimp in one layer in the pan without overcrowding (in batches if necessary). Cook until charred and cooked through the center, about 4 minutes, turning once.

To serve, arrange a few slices of avocado on a warmed tortilla. Spoon some of the salsa over, then top with shrimp. Drizzle with some of the crema. Garnish with cilantro and serve with the lime wedges for squeezing.

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Party food can be healthy, too. In fact, during the festive season, it’s important to have a few recipes up our sleeves that are fancy enough to be invited to a holiday party while balancing the season’s excess. While “tartare” generally refers to finely chopped meat (often beef) that is served raw, this recipe is all about smoked salmon, which is brined and cured in salt before being smoked at a low temperature. Its finished texture is soft, supple and smooth, which makes for a luxurious winter canape.

Salmon tartare is a perfect multitasking appetizer: It’s fresh, salty and bright with citrus. It’s also rich in protein, B vitamins and calcium, and it's low-fat to boot. To serve, dress it up and serve on brioche toasts, or keep it more casual and spread on crostini. In this recipe, it’s dolloped on whole-grain cocktail rounds for a slightly heartier texture. It’s also wonderfully versatile: Assemble the tartare up to one day in advance and serve any leftovers on breakfast toast or spooned over greens for a light lunch.

When preparing the tartare, finely chop the salmon and onion in similar minced size. I prefer to do this by hand with a knife rather than use a food processor, which can create a pasty texture if overprocessed. Taste as you go, and don’t skimp on the herbs. Each mouthful should be fresh, juicy and bright. And if you are celebrating, go ahead and pour some bubbles -- it’s the party season, after all.

Smoked Salmon Tartare Canapes

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes, plus chilling time

Yield: Makes about 1 1/4 cups or 10 to 12 canapes

10 ounces smoked salmon, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Whole-grain cocktail rounds

Freshly ground black pepper

Dill sprigs for garnish

Lemon wedges and slices for garnish

Finely dice the smoked salmon and transfer to a bowl. Fold in the onion, yogurt and lemon juice. Add the dill and chives and gently stir to combine; feel free to add more herbs to your taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

To serve, mound heaping tablespoons of the tartare on whole-grain cocktail rounds (or crostini or mini brioche toasts). Generously season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve garnished with additional dill and lemon, if desired.

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Do you need a holiday timeout? When we are in the eye of the storm, aka the lull between Thanksgiving and December celebrations, it helps to step off the conveyor belt of planning, cooking, baking and entertaining. Take a break and fix something easy, healthy and decidedly not holiday-inspired. Make a fragrant warming curry and call it a culinary break.

I use the term “curry” loosely since this recipe is hardly authentic. An authentic curry consists of a mountain of whole spices and aromatics, carefully and lovingly toasted, ground, sauteed and coaxed to create a potent paste that forms the base of a stew, which simmers for an ample amount of time to infuse its flavor. (I highly recommend doing this, by the way, but suggest you wait until after the holidays.)

This yellow curry rendition gets its name thanks to a generous shortcut dump of curry powder into the soup, which, in the category of quick meals, does the trick. It’s a healthy soup, brimming with vegetables and thickened with coconut milk, and it’s a one-pot wonder, prepared in about 30 minutes. During a month of roasts, bakes, sauces and icings, this soup is a spicy and refreshing hiatus, guaranteed to warm and restore before you get back to the business of planning and making that big holiday dinner.

Curried Chicken Stew

Active Time: about 35 minutes

Total Time: about 35 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 to 1 1/4 pounds chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large carrot, sliced 1/4–inch thick

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, chopped

1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes with juice

1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk (not light)

2 cups coarsely chopped curly green kale, Tuscan kale or spinach leaves (tough stems removed)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

1 red or green jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide pot or deep skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pot in one layer without overcrowding. Cook over medium heat until the chicken colors on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate. (The chicken will not be fully cooked at this point. It will continue to cook when added to the stew.)

Add 1 tablespoon oil and the onion to the same pot. Saute over medium heat until the onion softens, about 2 minutes. Add the carrot and peppers and saute until the carrot brightens in color and the peppers begin to soften, about 3 minutes more. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Add the curry powder, cumin and coriander, stirring to coat the vegetables and lightly toast the spices for about 15 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes, coconut milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Partially cover the pot and simmer over medium-low until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the kale or spinach. Continue to simmer until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the leaves wilt, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the 1/4 cup cilantro and taste for seasoning.

Ladle the curry into bowls. Garnish with additional cilantro and the jalapeno slices. Serve with basmati rice.

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