Super foods recipe: orange and banana medley

Oranges are renowned for their high content of vitamin C, which, as well as being a powerful antioxidant, is good for eye health and the immune system. Cinnamon and orange are a perfect match for banana in a quick, refreshing and filling dessert full of flavour, essential vitamins and minerals. Serve this mouth-watering recipe with a dollop of low-fat vanilla ice cream.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Marinating: 10 to 15 minutes

Cooking: 2 minutes

Serves 4

• 4 large seedless oranges
• 50 g (1/4 c) raisins or golden raisins
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 large or 4 small bananas

1.  Use a zester to remove the zest of one orange, halve the orange and squeeze the juice. Add water, if necessary, to make 150 millilitres (five ounces) of juice. Pour the juice into a pot. Add the zest, raisins or golden raisins and the cinnamon stick (or half a stick if you prefer). Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, cover and set aside.
2. Slice the ends off the remaining three oranges, and cut away the peel in wide strips, working down the fruit to remove all the pith. Slice the oranges, discarding any seeds.
3. Place the sliced oranges in a serving dish, adding any juice that came from preparation. Pour the juice mixture over the fruit. Cover and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
4.  Peel and slice the bananas and add them to the oranges just before serving, mixing to coat the slices in the orange juice mixture so that they don't discolour.

•  Use dried cranberries (often sold as "craisins") or cherries instead of raisins or golden raisins.
• Try strawberries as a change from bananas, leaving the strawberries whole or halving large ones.
• Spiced pineapple is a refreshing alternative to banana and orange. Use one peeled ripe pineapple, one star anise and one gram (1/4 teaspoon) ground cinnamon.

The banana and orange medley can also be served warm, especially when using a good-quality fresh cinnamon stick, which will provide plenty of flavour. Prepare the recipe as above but don't set the syrup or fruit aside in either step 1 or step 3. Oranges can be prepared, cooled and chilled overnight in an airtight container.

Nutritional information: 180 calories • 1 g fat • 0 g saturated fat • 43 g carbohydrates • 4 g protein • 6 g fibre.