AND YET ANOTHER 8 WAYS TO GET YOUR 5 A DAY

1. Start your day with a healthier sundae, by layering your
muesli or high-fiber cereal with plain low-fat yogurt,
slices of fresh fruit, and a sprinkling of nuts drizzled
with honey - delicious!

2. Thread strawberries, grapes, and cubes of Kiwi fruit,
watermelon, and paw-paw onto skewers, and serve as tropical
poolside kebabs.

3. Banana wheels on top of wholewheat toast? Try it. Its too
good a treat to be enjoyed by five-year-olds alone.

4. Broaden your horizons. Try a fruit or vegetable you have
never tried before, or try an old favorite prepared in a new
and interesting way. For instance, if you are fond of
steamed asparagus, why not try asparagus raw, with just a
little balsamic vinegar and lemon zest on hand?

5. Turn an ordinary sandwich into a culinary masterpiece by
adding layers of fresh or grilled veggies to your chosen
filling.

6. Peel and slice a paw-paw into petals, and serve with a
zesty squeeze of lemon for a breakfast treat.

7. Pop some seedless grapes into the freezer overnight.
Serve as little bites of chilled dessert, or plop into a
tall glass of water for an icy touch of flavor.

8. For a Protein-packed anytime snack, spread a little
peanut butter along the inside of a celery stick. Paste a
line of raisins or dried cranberries on top, and crunch to
your heart's content.

There you have it. Now you have no excuse for not getting
your 5 a day! Replace any fruit or veg not available or not
to your liking with any alternative of your choice. Enjoy!

ANOTHER 8 WAYS TO GET YOUR 5 A DAY

1. Spread low-fat chunky cottage cheese onto granary bread,
and top up with cherry tomato, thinly sliced cucumber,
grated carrot and sprouts for a filling snack.

2. Take the top off a leathery looking granadilla (that's
how you will know its ripe) and spoon out the seeds with a
slurp.If you don't mind waiting a little longer for your
fix, sprinkle the seeds over plain low-fat yogurt instead.

3. Introduce a few leaves of fresh mint to a bowl of
watermelon cubes, for an irresistible appetizer or summary
salad.

4. Make a well stocked fruit bowl the welcoming centerpiece
of your home. Top it up with the colorful bounty of the
season, and encourage family and friends to treat it as a
help-yourself snack bar, rather than an ornamental
arrangement.

5. Half-moon slices of Granny Smith apple, served on a bed
of celery stalks and leaves, with a topping of chopped
walnuts. Yes, its a Waldorf salad, but something's missing:
the mayonnaise. That's because all you need is a dash of
lemon juice or olive oil to enjoy this crispier, crunchier,
healthier version of the famous dish.

6. Spicy rice tastes even nicer when you mix it up with
choppings of cold pineapple and cuts of mango.

7. Haul out the cookie cutters, call in the tikes,and spend
some quality time crafting pretty vegetable carvings.

8. Toast a pita bread, fill it up with veggies - grated
cabbage, red onion rings, peppers, cherry tomatoes,
cucumbers - and voila, you've got a quick and healthy salad
in your pocket.

9 WAYS TO GET YOUR 5 A DAY

Rich in nutrients and vast in variety, fruit and vegetables
are a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. Try these tips to
meet or exceed your recommended daily ration of nature's
health boosting bounty.

1. Blend a banana with frozen berries, plain low-fat yogurt
and milk for a delicious fruit smoothie.

2. Couscous is a nourishing staple of African cuisine,
painstakingly prepared from semolina or barley. But don't
just eat it on its own: mix it with crispy roast vegetables,
browned in their own juices, and add a topping of green
salad and lemon juice to make a meal on its own.

3. Test your fruit and veggie literacy by working your way
through the alphabet of options on your 5 a day plan. A is
for Artichoke, B is for Butternut, C is for Courgette... and
if you get stuck at X, try Xigua, the Chinese name for a
variety of small watermelon.

4. Slice a banana along its length and coat the inside with
peanut butter. Stick it back together, and serve it to your
kids as a Peanut Butter Banana Boat.

5. Take a dip-bowl of low fat cottage cheese and, taking a
circular tray, surround it with alternating slices of fresh
fruit and vegetables. Tuck in at your convenience.

6. Peel and cut a pineapple into hefty vertical slices.
Slide it onto some skewers, and sprinkle lightly with curry
powder for an authentic street-stall treat.

7. The Kiwi fruit adds an exotic burst of flavor to a salad
or desert. Its tangy on the tongue with just a hint of
sweetness. But to really enjoy it to its fullest, eat it like
the Kiwis do: bite by juicy bite, with the skin on. Don't
forget to give it a good wash first, and remember, all that
extra fiber is good for you!

8. Take a big red apple and slice it into little strips,and
cunningly serve as "apple chips" to the young ones.

9. Raid your vegetable drawer to make a hearty soup or stew,
and you are guaranteed to get your recommended quota of 5
healthy portions a day!