How to make a healthy layered breakfast pot

By Emily Morgan

Shop-bought breakfast pots are an enticing option when you’re on the move, but they’re quick and easy to make at home. Once you’ve chosen you’re fruits – I went for mango, strawberries and blueberries – and your container, the layers stack up as pretty as a picture. They taste delicious, too…

Nutrition low-down

- Fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C and fibre.

- Fat-free Greek yogurt is a good source of protein, which helps to keep hunger pangs at bay.

- Oats are a slow-release carbohydrate, so you’re less likely to suffer from a mid-morning energy crash

The ingredients (to make 2 pots)

4tbsp oats (if you want to use muesli or granola instead of oats, or a mixture, look for one that’s free from added sugar)

6tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt

1 mango, thinly sliced

6 strawberries, thinly sliced

2tbsp no-added-sugar granola

1 handful blueberries

Fresh mint sprigs to decorate (optional)

The method

Combine the oats and yogurt in a small bowl, then divide half the mixture between 2 tumblers (or lidded containers if you plan to have breakfast on the go). Top with half the sliced mango slices, then all of the strawberries. Repeat the oat mixture and mango layers, then sprinkle over the granola and top with the blueberries. Cover with clingfilm (or the lids) and chill in the fridge overnight. The next day, decorate with a mint sprig, if you like, before serving.

How did I rate it?

Leaving the oats to soak overnight gives them time to soften and absorb the flavours of the yogurt and fruit. Delicious. I would definitely recommend trying this recipe if you struggle to find the time to make a healthy breakfast in the morning. All you need to do is take it out the fridge and dig in, which is definitely more nutritious – not to mention cheaper – than grabbing something unhealthy on the go!

Per pot

298kcal

17.3g protein

4.5g fat

0.7g saturates

46.2g carbs

25.3g sugar

6.9g fibre

0.1g salt

174mg calcium

2.1mg iron

LOW CAL

LOW FAT

LOW SAT FAT

LOW SALT

Should we raise our five-a-day?

By Melanie Leyshon

If it’s not a rude question to ask, how much did you get yesterday? Two bowls of carrot soup, a rice veg pot and seven strawberries meant I just about scraped my five-a-day. And I’m not alone – only a quarter of the UK population meets the five-a-day target, so the call to increase this to seven-a-day and potentially double it to a massive 10 daily servings might seem a fruit and veg step too far.

And before we feel inferior to those from countries eating seven or eight portions a day, it’s good to know that all nations work to the same World Health Organization recommendation of 400g fruit and veg daily – it’s how the governments convey that message that is different. The Swedish mantra of eat fruit and vegetables every time you eat is a good one, while Australians have their 5:2 mantra of five veg and two fruit a day fixed in their brains.

The positive take on the 10-a-day headlines is that five-a-day is back in the news. Eating fruit and veg does help prevent obesity, cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and the new research by Health Survey for England, based on a survey of 65,000 people, is compelling about the risk of death and the amount of fruit and veg we eat. Out of the 4,300 people from this group who died during the eight-year survey follow-up, those who ate the least amount of fruit had the highest risk of death. Quite enough evidence to get us reaching for the fruit bowl and adding more vegetables to every meal – but don’t overdo the fruit juice or canned fruit in syrup. 

UK health experts have broken the 400g figure into five separate servings, each weighing 80g. If fruit is dried, a serving weighs 30g (the equivalent of 80g fresh fruit), while a serving of pure fruit or veg juice is 150ml (one small glass). Here’s what counts as one serving…

Fresh fruit

An 80g portion of fresh fruit is:

½ grapefruit

½ avocado

1 apple, orange, banana, pear, nectarine, mandarin or tomato

1 slice (5cm) of melon or mango

1 pineapple ring

1 handful of grapes

1 heaped tbsp tomato purée

2 plums, fresh figs, kiwi fruits, satsumas, clementines or tangerines

2 handfuls of raspberries or blueberries

3 apricots

3 heaped tbsp fruit salad

6 passion fruits

7 strawberries or cherry tomatoes

10 blackberries

14 cherries

a 30g portion of dried fruit is:

1 heaped tbsp raisins, sultanas, currants or cranberries

1 handful of banana chips

2 figs

3 prunes or apricots

4 apple rings

4 pieces of sundried tomato

an 80g portion of tinned fruit is:

(choose fruit in natural juices and not syrup)

2 pear halves

2 peach halves

2 pineapple rings

6 apricot halves

6 prunes

8 grapefruit segments

12 pineapple chunks

AN 80g portion of veg is:

¼ small cabbage
⅓ aubergine

½ large courgette

½ pepper

1 leek

1 medium onion

1 large parsnip

1 large sweet potato

1 corn-on-the-cob

1 cereal bowl of lettuce, spinach leaves or watercress

1 handful of mangetout or sugar snap peas

1 piece (5cm) of cucumber

2 heaped tbsp spinach

2 handfuls of beansprouts

2 broccoli florets

3 celery sticks

3 heaped tbsp pulses, peas, sweetcorn, chopped carrots, butternut squash or cabbage

3 baby beetroots

4 heaped tbsp spring greens, green beans, French beans or kale

4 large mushrooms

5 asparagus spears

6 baby corn

8 cauliflower florets

8 Brussels sprouts

8 spring onions

10 radishes

14 button mushrooms

For more information on portion sizes, download the September 2013 issue of Healthy Food Guide from iTunes