GREAT BEGINNINGS!!!

For super, quick light and delicious starters, peaches and nectarines are a must go to. You can always serve slices of the fruits with a salty cured ham and add peppery rocket leaves. Strawberries and balsamic vinegar are also a winner…yes!! You can wash and toss strawberries with a few teaspoons of castor sugar then leave them at room temperature. Serve with a drizzle of your best balsamic vinegar. Sweet cherries also work just as well as with savoury foods. Belonging to the same family as the cucumbers, courgettes are best roasted, griddled or lightly sautéed in olive oil. Add them to stir fries, or grate and use in courgette fritters with some feta cheese. Beetroot, a wonderfully versatile vegetable, when roasted its favour is intensified –simply drizzle with olive oil and cumin seeds or try it raw juiced with carrots or grated into salad. There is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables to easily help you reach your five a day. Take a trip to the farmers or vegetable market where fresh fruits in season are often available.

FRUITY BRULEES INGREDIENTS

*450g assorted summer fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, and cherries.

*4 small heatproof ramekin dishes.

*¾ cup double cream. *150ml low fat plain yoghurt.

*One-teaspoon vanilla essence.

*4 tablespoon brown crystal sugar.

 

METHOD

Divide the strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and cherries evenly among 4 small heatproof ramekins. Mix together the low fat cream alternative, plain yoghurt and vanilla essence. Generously spoon the mixture over the fruit. Preheat the grill to hot. Top each serving with one tablespoon demerara sugar [brown crystal sugar] and grill the desserts for 2-3 minutes until the sugar melts and begin to caramelise Serve hot!!!

 

CHEF HINTS AND TIPS

*Apricots sweet sour taste is perfect for a snack or starter. Roast them with a little honey or vanilla sugar and serve with cream for a quick dessert or with muesli and Greek yoghurt for dessert.

* Serve the avocado on small pieces of bread with lots of sprinkled black pepper and salt or mashed with chilli and tomatoes for a guacamole.