Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 115 g dried apricots
• 115 g dried prunes
• 115 g dried peaches
• 60 g dried apples
• 25 g dried cherries
• 450 ml unsweetened apple juice
• 6 cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken
• 300 ml low fat natural yogurt
• 115 g crunchy oat cereal
• apricot slices, to decorate

1. To make the fruit compote, place the dried apricots, prunes, peaches, apples and cherries in a saucepan and pour in the apple juice.
2. Add the cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the fruits are plump and tender.
3. Leave the mixture to cool completely in the pan. Remove and discard the spices from the fruits, then transfer the mixture to a bowl and leave to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. Spoon the compote into 4 dessert glasses, layering it alternately with yogurt and oat cereal, finishing with the oat cereal on top.
5. Decorate each dessert with slices of apricot and serve at once.

“There are many dried fruits available, including mangoes and pears, some of which need soaking, so read the instructions on the packet before use. Also, check the ingredients label, because several types of dried fruit have added sugar or are rolled in sugar, and this will affect the sweetness of the dish that you use them in.”

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 900 g sweet potato
• 4 tsp sunflower oil
• 2 medium leeks, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2.5 cm piece root ginger, finely chopped
• 200 g can sweetcorn, drained
• 2 tbsp low fat natural fromage frais
• 60 g wholemeal flour
• salt and pepper
• lettuce leaves and shredded spring onions, to serve

Ginger Sauce

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 2.5 cm piece root ginger, cut into thin strips
• 2 tbsp ginger wine
• 4 tbsp fresh vegetable stock
• 1 tsp cornflour

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 2 cm thick pieces. Place in a pan, cover with water and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Leave to cool.
2. Heat 2 tsp of oil and fry the leeks, garlic and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the leek mixture into the potato with the sweetcorn, seasoning and fromage frais. Form into 8 patties and toss in flour to coat. Chill for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the grill to medium. Place the patties on a grill rack and brush with oil. Grill for 5 minutes, then turn, oil and grill for another 5 minutes, or until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
4. For the sauce, place the vinegar, sugar, chilli and ginger in a pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger wine. Blend the stock and cornflour to form a paste and stir into the sauce. Heat through, stirring, until thickened. Transfer the patties to serving plates, spoon over the sauce and serve.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 4 tuna steaks
• ½ tsp finely grated lime rind
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• pepper
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• fresh coriander, to garnish
• avocado relish, tomato and lime wedges, to serve

1. Trim the skin from the tuna steaks, rinse and pat dry on absorbent kitchen paper.
2. To make the avocado relish, peel and remove the stone from one small ripe avocado. Toss in 1 tbsp lime juice. Mix in 1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander and 1 small finely chopped red onion. Stir in some chopped fresh mango or a chopped medium tomato and season well.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the lime rind, garlic, olive oil, cumin, ground coriander and pepper to make a paste.
4. Spread the paste thinly on both sides of the tuna. Heat a non-stick, ridged frying pan until hot and press the tuna steaks into the pan to seal them. Lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper and transfer to a serving plate.
5. Sprinkle the lime juice and chopped coriander over the fish.
6. Serve with freshly made avocado relish, lime wedges and tomatoes.