2 favourite apple recipes: Fig, apple and cinnamon compote and a smoothie

Easily available, apples offer many nutritional benefits and may even help to sharpen mental alertness. They also contain plenty of soluble fibre that can contribute to lower blood cholesterol. And, with an average of only 65 calories, an apple is the perfect healthy snack.

Apples have been called nature's toothbrush. While they don't actually cleanse the teeth, biting and chewing an apple stimulates the gums, and the sweetness of the apple prompts an increased flow of saliva which reduces tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria in the mouth.

Preparation 5 minutes

Cooking 22 minutes

Serves 4   

2 eating apples (such as McIntosh or Red Delicious)

Ingredients

• 1 baking apple (such as Granny Smith)
• 120 ml (1/2 c) orange juice
• 4 chopped dried figs
• 5 g (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
• 30 g (2 tbsp) toasted pine nuts

Instructions

1. Slice two eating apples and one baking apple.

2. Put them in a pot with orange juice, chopped dried figs and ground cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the apples are tender when gently pressed with the back of a spoon.

3. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts before dividing among four bowls to serve.

• Cinnamon is a sweet spice and using it in this fruity dish means that there is no need for added sweeteners, such as sugar.
• Replace processed sugar with natural sweetness from fresh and dried fruit whenever you can.
• You can also add half a cinnamon stick to the compote instead of ground cinnamon, but remember to remove it before serving.
• Vanilla or butterscotch ice cream, or a spoonful of crème fraîche, would taste great with this compote.

Nutritional information: 143 calories • 6 g fat • 0 g saturated fat • 22 g carbohydrates • 2 g protein • 4 g fibre

Preparation 10 minutesServes 4

You will need the following: 

• 4 apples
• 530 ml (2 1/4 c) apple juice
• 30 g (2 tbsp) finely grated fresh ginger
• 480 g (2 c) frozen vanilla low-fat yogurt

Instructions 

1. Roughly chop four apples. Place them in a blender, or in a bowl if you have a stick blender.

2. Add 250 millilitres (one cup) apple juice and 30 grams (two tablespoons) finely grated fresh ginger.

3. Blend until smooth, then add 500 grams (two cups) frozen vanilla low-fat yogurt and 300 millilitres (1 1/4 cups) apple juice. Blend again until smooth and pour the smoothie into four tall glasses.

This smoothie works well with any type of apple, but the flavour is best with tangy green apples, such as Granny Smith. Try five millilitres (one teaspoon) ground ginger or 30 grams (two tablespoons) finely chopped crystalized ginger instead of the fresh ginger.

Each serving provides: 312 calories • 3 g fat • 2 g saturated fat • 64 g carbohydrates • 9 g protein • 2 g fibre

Enjoy this special treat alone or share it with another apple lover.