This has the traditional yumminess of Sherry trifle but is much healthier. It’s an ideal dessert you can enjoy any day without feeling guilty. I think of this sort of dessert as my mid-week healthy pudding, which earns me the right to indulge a little at the weekend. But the funny thing about eating delicious, healthy food is that I no longer crave indulgent treats full of sugar and bad fats. This version is lighter and lower in calories, uses no saturated fat, and is full of omega-3, fibre, and antioxidants from all the fruits, nuts, and seeds.

At least 10 plants in one meal — towards your target of 30 a week

Tim Spector of Zoe recommends that we eat 30 different plants each week for gut comfort and overall health. A wide spread of plant foods in your diet means you don’t have to think too hard about balance — the variety naturally provides the right mix of fibre to keep your gut biome happy, along with all those plant compounds (phytonutrients or phytochemicals) that support health. They also help you feel fuller for longer, which makes it easier to resist snacking on less healthy foods — a win-win for your wellbeing.

Why this fruity trifle can be so healthy

The nutrients in all these fruits, seeds, and nuts help support health and wellbeing across the whole body, for people of all ages.

Vitamin C, probably the best-known antioxidant, plays an essential role in immunity, healing, disease protection, and maintaining healthy, glowing skin.
Polyphenols offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Carotenoids, the bright yellow, orange, and red pigments in plants, are best known as precursors to vitamin A.
Anthocyanins, found in red, purple, and blue fruits (especially berries), offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help protect against disease.
Flavonoids include powerful protective antioxidants — like the ones in green tea and apples – hence, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”.
Fibre, both soluble and insoluble, improves digestion, bulks up gut contents to help you feel full, feeds good gut bacteria (which create protective compounds like the short chain fatty acid butyrate), helps control appetite and cravings, supports overall health and keeps you regular.

Budwig Diet Friendly

This is a real treat that fully complies with the Budwig Diet. Some alcohol is allowed — Johanna Budwig included various wines in her approach — just make sure to use a drier sherry. I used a nice Amontillado, which was perfect. How wonderful to have a super healthy dessert that your family and friends will enjoy too!

OMS Recovery Plan

If you’re following the OMS Recovery Plan, simply use a dairy-free, saturated-fat-free alternative. Soya yoghurt or silken tofu work well — you might want to add a little vanilla and/or maple syrup to enhance the flavour.