6 simple ways to add fruit to your suppers

Supper is the meal where most of us go overboard on calories, carbs and fat. But they can be more flavourful than filling if you add a fruity touch to your favourites. Here are some ways to do it.

It's an exciting way to sneak in a serving of fruit and give simple dishes flavour without fat — and what a difference it makes to a piece of fish or a grilled or roasted chicken breast.

• Make a fruity salsa by combining chunks of pineapple, mango or papaya with chopped onions, ginger, garlic, mint, cilantro and hot pepper flakes.
• Let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to four hours in the fridge.

• Brush them first with a little olive oil so they don't stick.

Yum! Fruit has never tasted so good. You can even serve these for dessert.

Contrary to popular belief, beans are technically a fruit. The next time you have Mexican night, skip the beef or chicken and fill your enchiladas and tacos with beans (not refried).

• For an easy meal of enchiladas, drain and rinse canned black beans and add them to a skillet with onions, mushrooms and vegetables.
• Add enchilada sauce and serve in whole wheat tortillas with low-fat cheese.

• Choose three or four kinds of canned beans — such as garbanzo, black, kidney, navy, black-eyed or waxed beans — and drain and rinse well to reduce the salt.
• Toss with chopped red onion, red pepper and some vinaigrette-style salad dressing.
• Use about 15 millilitres (1 tablespoon) of dressing per 100 grams (1⁄3 cup) bean salad.

• Strawberries (about 125 grams, or half a cup) drizzled with balsamic vinegar or soaked in white wine makes for a sweet, indulgent-tasting dessert while satisfying about 75 per cent of your daily vitamin C requirement.

And like other berries, strawberries contain powerful antioxidants that help protect your body from the ravages of high blood sugar.

Fruit is, after all, nature's candy.

• So on those nights when you eat dessert (we suggest once or twice a week), try a roasted plum, 125 grams (half cup) of berries with yogurt on top, or a fruit crisp or crumble (go heavy on the fruit, oats and cinnamon and very light on the sugar and butter).

For a quick, luscious dessert, "bake" an apple in the microwave. Just core an apple, sprinkle the inside with cinnamon and a touch of sugar, and microwave for three minutes or until soft.

Adding fruit to a supper is an easy way to make the meal both more healthy and flavourful.