The Healthy Eating Guide

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Jelly is a much maligned pudding. We tend to think of it as something that only children eat. I love jelly - it is a lovely summer dessert which you can prepare so quickly and it keeps in the fridge for several days. You can even have it as a snack of you just want something quick and not too disastrous as far as following sensible healthy eating guidelines is concerned.

You can use any fruit that is available - I find it brilliant for using up fruit that might otherwise go to waste.

Ingredients:-

20 gms (¾oz) Powdered gelatine or a packet of sugar free jelly crystals
750 mls (25 fl ozs) unsweetened apple juice - or any juice of your choice
300 gms mixed fresh fruit of your choice

Method:-

Mix the gelatine with 75 ml (5 tbsps) of water in a heatproof bowl and leave it to soak for 5 minutes or so, or follow the directions if using a sugar free jelly. Put the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering warm water until the gelatine dissolves. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes before gradually stirring in the fruit juice. Mix well.

Prepare the fruit by peeling, coring, dicing etc into bite sized pieces or smaller. Divide amongst four individual dishes or place into one large mould as required.

Gently pour over the gelatine mixture and chill until set.

Serve with a spoonful of Greek or low-fat natural yoghurt.

Serves 4

There is loads of lovely spring Rhubarb around and this is one of my favourite Rhubarb Pudds.

1lb 8 ozs (600 gms) Rhubarb cut into small chunks
4 tbsp (60 ml) Orange Juice - unsweetened
3 tbsp (45 ml) thick honey
10 fl oz (250 ml) natural yoghurt
6 ozs (150 gms) Quark

Put the Rhubarb, orange juice and honey into a covered saucepand and cook gently for about 15 mins until soft, stirring occasionally.
Put aside until cool
Place the Rhubarb mixture and quark into a blender and process until smooth
Gently fold in the yoghurt
Put the mixture into four serving dishes or glasses and chill for at least one hour
Serve with a light, crisp shortbread biscuit.

It occurred to me that I haven’t yet put a pudding recipe here - what a disaster! Many people get the mistaken idea that puddings have to be unhealthy or horrid - not true. There are lots of perfectly healthy and delicious pudds around. I like this dish served with thick yoghurt or maybe a small spoonful of good Vanilla Ice Cream.

4 firm pears, peeled but leave the stalks if possible
8 ozs (200 gms) fresh or frozen mixed berries such as Blackcurrant, Blue Berry, Blackberry, Raspberry, Redcurrant
2 ozs (50 gms) light muscovado (soft brown) sugar
4 fl ozs (100 ml) Water - you may need a little more

Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring slowly to the boil.

Cover, turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until the pears are just soft. Turn once or Continue Reading »