These recipes are so Yummy, you can't tell they're low in calories Plus, They feature some of the most nutritious fruits around

ADMIT IT. It's easier to find room for dessert than for the five servings of greens you should be eating daily. But there is a way to satisfy your sweet tooth and your nutritional needs: Have fruit for dessert. Not only are all fruits rich in immunity-boosting vitamin C, they're also high in fibre, which lowers cholesterol and helps keep you full. And unlike recipes for cookies or chocolate cake, fruit desserts typically use less sugar and have fewer calories because the main ingredient is naturally sweet. Still need proof that a healthy and decadent dessert isn't a half-baked idea? Dig into these tasty treats.

Filo dough is sold frozen. Defrost it in the package overnight, in the refrigerator, for best results.

SERVES 6

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOK TTME: 30 minutes

3 medium apples, peeled and diced into 1-cm cubes

1/2 cup apple juice

1/4 cup apricot spread (100 per cent fruit)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons currants

1/2 cup walnuts

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

4 sheets of filo dough (33 x 43cm), thawed

Butter-flavoured cooking spray

Powdered sugar for dusting

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. In a medium non-stick skillet, combine apples, apple juice, apricot spread, lemon juice, and currants. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and apples are tender. Remove from heat.
• Combine the walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a small food processor and pulse until finely ground.
• Lay the filo sheets on a flat tray and cover with a piece of plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. Remove one sheet of dough at a time, keeping the rest covered, and place on a work surface with the short end facing you. Spritz the sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle with two tablespoons of the walnut mixture.
• Repeat the layering with the next three sheets of filo. Spread the apple filling over the pastry, leaving a 5-cm border at the top and bottom and a 2.5-cm border on the sides. Fold the bottom border over the filling, and roll up the pastry.
• Place the strudel on a baking sheet with the seam down. Spray with cooking spray and top with the remaining walnut mixture.
• Put strudel in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 175 degrees C and bake for another 15 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing, or cool completely and serve later. Dust lightly with powdered sugar at serving time.

NUTRIZTION SCORE PER SERVING

(1 slice): 197 calories, 7g fat, less than 1g saturated fat, 32g carbs, 3g protein, 2g fibre, 19mg calcium, 1g iron, 64mg sodium

Topped with a little low-fat vanilla ice cream, this makes an alternative Christmas dessert to log cake.

SERVES 6 TO 8

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 35 TO 45 MINUTES

TOPPING

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp whole-wheat flour

FILLING

1kg firm but ripe Bosc pears,

peeled and cut into 1-cm slices

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp crystallised ginger,

finely chopped

1 tbsp light brown sugar

1 tsp whole-wheat flour

Cooking spray

• Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Spray a 20-cm square baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients; mix with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
• For the filling, combine the pears, cranberries, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the ginger. sugar, and flour and toss to combine.
• Transfer the pear mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with crumb mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the topping is a golden brown. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving, or cool completely and serve later.

NUTRITION SCORE PER SERVING (3/4 cup): 232 calories, 8g fat,

2g saturated fat, 43g carbs, 2g protein, 3g fibre, 27mg calcium, 1mg iron, 18mg sodium

BASMATI RICE PUDDING WITH ORANGES

Using condensed milk gives this pudding a creamy consistency without adding any fat.

SERVES 6 TO 8

PREP TIIME: 40 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 20 TO 25 MINUTES

3/4 cup basmati rice or any

long-grain white rice

3 large navel oranges

1/2 vanilla bean, split in half

lengthwise

4 cups fat-free evaporated milk

1/4 cup low-fat sweetened

condensed milk

4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp chopped pistachios

(optional, for garnish)

2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

(optional, for garnish)

• In a heavy saucepan, boil two cups of water. Add the rice, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the water has been absorbed.
• Meanwhile, finely grate one teaspoon of zest from one of the oranges; set aside. Halve that orange and juice it; reserve the juice. With a sharp knife, peel the remaining two oranges, removing the pith. Cut sections between the membranes. Set aside.
• When the rice is tender, add half cup of the orange juice, orange zest, vanilla bean, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring frequently until it has a creamy consistency, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and divide the rice mixture among bowls to serve warm, or cover and refrigerate to serve chilled. At serving time, garnish each portion with a few orange sections, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds, if desired.

NUTRITION SCORE PER SERVING

(3/4 cup): 317 calories,

<1g fat, <1g saturated fat, 47g carbs, 6g protein, <1g fibre, 461mg calcium, <1mg iron, 67mg sodium

Apples - Star nutrient: quercetin.

This antioxidant, found mostly in apple skin, protects brain cells, helping prevent Alzheimer's.

Cranberries - Star nutrient: polyphenos.

They have more of this heart-healthy antioxidant than any other fruit or vegetable.

Grapefruit - Star nutrient: lycopene.

You'll get about 4mg of this cancer-fighter nutrient in each fruit.

Oranges Star nutrient: vitamin C.

Just one orange meets 100 per cent of your daily needs of this immune-system booster.

Pears - Star nutrient: soluble fibre.

More than a third of pears' fibre is this type, which lowers cholesterol and blood-sugar levels.

Pomegranates Star nutrient: anthocyanains.

This anti-inflammatory protects blood vessels and helps boost skin's collagen levels.