Winter fruit Salad- no added sugar

A warming yet light start to the day

I love light and fruity Summer breakfasts like smoothies, fresh juice and fresh fruit salads but my body just won't let me have them in Winter; I end up feeling cold, sluggish and hungry all morning! I know that all you raw foodists out there will be holding up your hands in horror that I could dare to heat-treat my precious fruit, so let me tell you that I do eat my fruit raw at all other times- just not at 7:00am in Winter! I don't cook it for very long; just enough time to let it get soft and bring the juices out so I'm sure there are still some nutrients left. For maximum nutrient-retention leave the fruit in large pieces to cook it and chop it smaller afterwards. On the plus side, the cooking really brings out the fruit's natural sweetness and you won't need any type of sugar.

The following serves one large portion or you can use it for 2 people as an accompaniment:

2 slices of fresh pineapple, peeled and cubed

1 ripe kiwi, peeled and quartered

1 banana, quartered

a small handful of dried cranberries

5 prunes, halved

3 dried apricots

a little water

• Prepare the fruit and put into an oven-proof dish
• Add a minimal amount of water, to help rehydrate the dried fruit
• Bake at 200C in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until softened and juicy
• Serve in a bowl with your favourite topping. I  just drizzle on a bit of tahini, but you could have yoghurt, cream, almond or cashew cream, flaked almonds or seeds... just use your imagination! Dressed up, this dish is the basis of a great light dessert.
• Variations on the theme: You can also use plums, peaches or nectarines, mango, dessert pears or any fruit that takes your fancy. You could place a small cinnamon stick in the dish during cooking or sprinkle with mixed spice for an extra-Wintery flavour.