Stewed autumn fruit I love this time of year, not least because of the apples, pears and stone fruit that are ripe and ready to pick. If you’re lucky enough to have your own trees, or like me, have a generous neighbour who’s happy to share their bounty, then you will be able to make some delicious stewed fruit to store away in the fridge and freezer for the weeks and months to come. Of course you can buy the fruit too, but we recommend that you try to find local and organic fruit to reduce exposure to pesticides, and boost nutrient intake – farmers markets and local growers are a great choice. Stewed fruit, rich with cinnamon, is a lovely thing – it can form the basis of crumbles, and, paired with some coconut (or regular) yoghurt, makes a speedy dessert or breakfast. But it’s also really, really good for you, and here’s why… Consuming apples regularly can help reduce allergies (1), help to protect cells against oxidative damage (2), reduce inflammation in the intestines and throughout the body including the brain (3, 4, 5). And finally apples can improve your microbiome, by favourably impacting on the bacterial colonisation of the large intestine (6). The deep, rich colour of most of our native plums gives an indication of their antioxidant, or phenol, content. Plums are also a good source of vitamin C, needed for iron absorption, to fight free radical damage, and to help protect our arteries from atherosclerosis. Stone fruits like …

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200g dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), finely chopped1 can full-fat coconut milk2 large egg yolks1/4 tsp chilli powder or 1 tsp of fresh chillies, very finely choppedPinch of salt1 cinnamon stick1 tbsp vanilla extract For the Whipped Topping1 can full-fat coconut milk chilled overnight in the refrigeratorCoconut sugar, to taste (optional)1 tablespoon ground cinnamon In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together coconut milk, egg yolks, chilli, and salt. Add in the cinnamon stick. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens and forms a smooth custard that coats the back of a spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully watch the custard, taking care not to overcook or boil it. When the custard is ready, take the pan off the heat, and remove the cinnamon stick.

Your brain is really fat! In fact, 60% of it is made up of fatty acids, these are the long snake-like building blocks of fat molecules required for proper brain structure and function. Fatty acids come in many varieties, yet the brain has a clear favourite — and salmon is full of it. More than two-thirds of the brain’s fatty acids are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found primarily in oily fish, although some vegetarian sources exist as well. We are metabolically incapable of making DHA on our own and must, therefore, get it from our diet.

This is one of the snacks we made for our WaistWatchers group which meets every other Thursday. Crust75g ground almonds25g coconut flour3 tbls coconut fat30g Xylitol or coconut palm sugar1 egg, beaten Filling3 eggs30g Xylitol or coconut palm sugar1/2 tsp baking powderJuice and zest of 1/2 lemon Preheat oven to 180C. Cover a 8 x 8 square tin with greaseproof paper and grease.