Fruit recipes including banana smoothie, apricot rock buns and avocado and pear salad.

Banana and almond smoothie

• 2 ripe bananas
• 425 ml (3/4 pint) of soya milk
• 1½ oz (40 g) of ground almonds
• 1 tsp of cinnamon

1. Peel the bananas and cut them into slices.
2. Place into a freezer-proof container and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours.
3. Remove from the freezer and place into a blender with all of the remaining ingredients.
4. Blend until smooth and frothy.
5. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Pink grapefruit and pine nut salad

• 2 pink grapefruit, divided into segments
• 2 sliced avocados
• 7 oz (200 g) of baby spinach leaves
• 3 oz (85 g) of pine nuts
• 1 Romaine lettuce head
• 4 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese
• For the dressing
• 3 tbsp of sunflower oil
• 2 tsp of white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

1. Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-top jar and mix together by shaking vigorously.
2. Place the pine nuts into a small frying pan on their own and lightly toast over a medium heat. Set to one side.
3. Toss the spinach and lettuce leaves in the dressing and then arrange on individual plates.
4. Arrange the avocado slices and grapefruit segments on top of the salad leaves.
5. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the salad along with the Parmesan cheese.
6. Serve immediately.

Apricot rock buns

• 8 oz (225 g) of plain wholemeal flour
• 4 oz (115 g) of chopped dried apricots
• 3 oz (85 g) of butter
• 3 oz (85 g) of brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp of milk
• grated rind of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of mixed spice

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Lightly grease a baking tray with butter, oil or greaseproof paper.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl.
4. Rub in the butter with your fingers until you obtain a breadcrumb-like mixture.
5. Add the brown sugar, chopped apricots and lemon rind and mix together with a wooden spoon.
6. In a separate bowl or cup, beat together the milk and egg. Add to the flour mixture.
7. Work the ingredients with your hands until a dough has formed.
8. Place spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking tray, ensuring that there is a little space between each spoonful.
9. Place the baking tray into the preheated oven and bake the buns for between 12 - 15 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.

Green fruit salad

• 2 Galia melons
• 2 kiwi fruit
• 1 Granny Smith's apple
• 1 star fruit
• juice of 1 lime
• 6 fl oz (170 ml) of sparkling grape juice
• 4 oz (115 g) of seedless green grapes

1. Halve the melons with a large, sharp knife and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
2. Scoop out the fruit with a spoon, ensuring that the skin is kept intact.
3. Cut the melon flesh into bite-size pieces and place into a large mixing bowl. Set the melon shells to one side.
4. Halve the grapes and add to the melon.
5. Peel the kiwi fruit and cut into quarters. Add to the bowl.
6. Peel and core the apple. Cut into quarters and then slice. Add to the bowl.
7. Wash and then cut the star fruit into thin slices. Add to the other fruit.
8. Pour the lime juice over the fruit and mix well.
9. Arrange the fruit into the melon shells and chill in the refrigerator until needed.
10. Just before serving, drizzle the sparkling grape juice over the fruit and then serve immediately.

Avocado and pear salad

• 4 pears
• 2 ripe avocados
• 4 oz (115 g) of Roquefort cheese
• 2 oz (55 g) of rocket
• 1 bunch of watercress
• 2 tbsp of chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• For the dressing
• 3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp of walnut oil
• 1 tbsp of freshly chopped parsley
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp of soft brown sugar
• salt and pepper

1. Wash, peel, halve and core the pears. Cut into thin slices and brush with the lemon juice to prevent them from discolouring.
2. Halve the avocados and remove the stone. Remove the skin and then cut into slices.
3. Wash and drain the watercress and rocket leaves and arrange onto 4 plates.
4. Arrange the avocado and pear slices on top of the leaves.
5. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top.
6. Place all of the dressing ingredients into a screw-top jar and shake vigorously to mix together.
7. Pour the dressing over each plate of salad.
8. Break the Roquefort into small pieces and sprinkle over the salad.
9. Serve immediately with fresh crusty bread.

Blackberry and apple pancakes

• 4 oz (115 g) of plain flour
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) of milk
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt
• vegetable oil for frying
• For the filling
• 1 lb (455 g) of cooking apples
• 8 oz (225 g) of blackberries
• 2 - 3 tbsp of water
• 2 tbsp of brown sugar

1. First of all, prepare the pancake batter. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt.
2. Make a well in the centre and add the egg.
3. Add a little of the milk and then begin to whisk the ingredients together with a wire or electric whisk.
4. Keep adding the milk bit by bit, whisking at the same time and ensuring that no lumps form.
5. Cover the batter and refrigerate whilst you prepare the filling.
6. Wash, quarter, core and peel the cooking apples.
7. Cut into think slices and then place into a large saucepan.
8. Add the blackberries and the water.
9. Cook over a medium heat for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the fruit is soft.
10. Stir in the brown sugar to sweeten and set the fruit mixture to one side.
11. Pour a small amount of vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat for 2 minutes.
12. Pour in a ladleful of pancake batter into the frying pan and cook until brown on one side.
13. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until brown also.
14. Remove from heat and transfer to a warm plate under the grill. Continue to make the rest of the pancakes.
15. Place a pancake onto a plate and arrange a line of fruit mixture along one side of the pancake. Roll the pancake up and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or cream.