Delicious recipes for healthy living and good nutrition designed to keep you in peak physical condition.

Banana and Rosemary Tatin

Everyone knows bananas are rich in energy-giving potassium, which protects the heart, but it's less well known that they feed the 'good' bacteria in the digestive tract, improving the digestion. Bananas encourage the production of serotonin, a mood-enhancing hormone and, because they are low in fat, they are a useful weight-control aid. Rosemary stimulates the circulation, maintains healthy blood pressure and is an antibacterial agent. It can relieve migraine headaches and, in folklore, it is said to improve concentration and memory.


SERVES 6

20g (3/4 oz) roasted almond flakes
12 bananas
20g (3/4 oz) soya spread
juice of 1 lemon
300g (10 1/2 oz) puff pastry
125g (4oz) caster sugar
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
125ml (4fl oz) water


1. Cut the bananas into 6cm (2 1/2 in) batons and mix them with the lemon juice. Line the bottom of a round, shallow tart tin (18cm/7in diameter, fixed bottom) with greaseproof paper.

2. Melt the soya spread and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, cook until the liquid turns a golden caramel colour, then pour it into the tart tin.

3. Place a few leaves of fresh rosemary in the sauce and arrange the banana batons, standing upright, in a very tight circle to cover the entire bottom of the tin. Insert the roasted almond flakes between the banana batons.

4. Roll the puff pastry out to form a circle that is 3mm (1/8 in) thick and at least 3cm (1 1/4 in) wider in circumference than the tart tin. Cover the bananas and fold the excess pastry down in between the edge of the tin and the outside ring of banana. (The puff pastry will eventually become the base of the tatin when it is turned upside down.)

5. Make a hole in the middle of the secured pastry to release steam and pour in the water to create a sauce and stop the caramel from burning while the fruit cooks. Place in a preheated oven (190°C/375°F/Gas 5) for 20-25 minutes until the puff pastry is cooked. When you take the tin out of the oven, place a large plate or tray over the top and, carefully but quickly, turn the tin and the tray upside down.

6. Leave the tatin to rest for 15 minutes, then gently remove the tin. Do not force it. If it sticks, use a sharp-edged knife to free the pastry edges from the dish. Serve warm on its own or with vanilla ice cream. (Seepage 116 for a dairy free ice cream recipe.)

Tatin means 'reversed' so you make this dish, cook it and turn it upside down to present it.

FAT: 24G (37%) • PROTEIN: 7G (14%) • CARBOHYDRATE: 104G (35%) • FIBRE: 7G (27%) VITAMIN C: 40% • POTASSIUM: 110% • CHOLESTEROL: 30%