~ * WINTER Fresh and Dried Fruit Salad !! * ~

A summer fruit salad is easy, BUT a winter salad is more of a challenge. THIS is the time to combine dried fruits with the available fresh fruits!

Preparation time: 10 minutes + ( * 20 minutes standing).
Total cooking time: 10 minutes. Serves: 6.

180 g (6 oz) dried apricots
90 g (3 oz) dried peaches, chopped
90 g (3 oz) dried nectarines, chopped
220 g (7 oz) pitted prunes
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup (250ml/8 fl oz) apple juice
2 red apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced
2 mandarins, peeled and segmented

1 PUT the dried apricots, peaches, nectarines, prunes, cinnamon stick and apple juice in a large pan. PLACE over the heat and bring to the boil, then COVER and SIMMER for 5 minutes. REMOVE from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes. REMOVE the cinnamon stick.

2 PEEL the apples, cut into chunks and toss with the lemon juice.

3 SERVE the cooled dried fruit topped with the apple chunks and the orange and mandarin slices. SERVE with low-fat yoghurt (of your choice), if desired.

NUTRITION PER SERVE
Protein 4 g; Fat 0.5 g;
Carbohydrate 47 g; Dietary Fibre 9 g; 865 kj (205 cal)

Rosemary Stanton.

* "TLC" !! *

"ONCE again this Summer, the Flowers in my Window Boxes have outdone themselves. The BIG, Red Geranium Blossoms are like individual Bouquets with deep, Green Foliage for a background. The Red, Pink and White Begonias were not to be eclipsed by the Geraniums and are just as lovely in their delicate beauty.

Passers-by on our back Country Road have admired the Flowers and given credit to my tender, loving care (TLC). Tender, loving care? Yes, but not mine. If they could have seen the dry, Brown, ugly-looking Geranium Stalks that came out of my Cellar this Spring. Only God's tender, loving care can bring such beauty from those lifeless, umpromising Stalks.

And so it is with us! .. He can make something beautiful of our lives if we allow Him."

RUBY WATROUS

"I tell you the truth, unless a Kernel of Wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single Seed. But if it dies, it produces many Seeds (*John 12:24)."