Simple, warm, healthy . . . this breakfast compote contains the "nearly perfect" fruit

Precious little will get Hubby to deviate from his weekday-morning breakfast fare. Without a doubt he always serves himself a bowl of warm oatmeal topped with fresh blueberries and a few scoops of nonfat plain yogurt. No problem with that selection—perfectly healthy on all accounts.

Yesterday when I tried to lure him away with a special concoction, I have to admit that at first, he seemed a little skeptical. He WANTED his oatmeal with berries and yogurt.

When I rounded the corner carrying the clear parfait glasses filled with the mouth-watering compote you see photographed here, however, he practically jumped for joy. All morning traditions were forgotten as he admired this breakfast offering.

Into the glasses had gone a wondrous mixture of chopped apples and oranges with cinnamon stirred in and warmed in the microwave. On top of that went a couple of tablespoons of yogurt crowned with a smattering of walnuts. (Ah, walnuts! They're the talk of the town. In Prevention magazine, health blogs, everywhere . . . walnuts are tub-thumped for their health properties.) Hubby was charmed.

The idea for this Quick Apple-Orange Fruit Compote sprang from the pages of our nightly reading—a book called Food Remedies. Late evenings find us in our living room noting to each other various nuggets of wisdom from this book, published by Prevention. (How's that for a pre-bedtime preoccupation?) One gem that caught my eye was a comment about citrus. The book stated that if one ate at least seven navel oranges a day, his or her cholesterol level would drop by at least 20 points! What a captivating idea, but what a lot of oranges!

The orange, however, is billed as nearly the perfect fruit. Not only is it high in vitamin C and fiber, it also is packed with antioxidants--help for the heart. The limonene found in oranges can help block certain cancers. Don't shy away from the pulp however, the health experts say. One dietitian writing for our Food Remedies book says she adds oranges wedges to salads, on top of stir-fry dishes, and just about everything.

Such is the health trivia that occupies the evenings of Hubby and me. A romantic duo, aren’t we? But if swapping health factoids and acting on them can add a few extra days to our lives, that's a few more days we may have to enjoy each other’s company on earth.

Quick Apple-Orange Compote

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped

1 navel orange, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

2 tablespoons broken pecan or walnut pieces

In a medium microwave bowl, combine the apple, orange, and cinnamon. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until the fruit is hot and soft. Divide among 2 bowls or parfait glasses; spoon and divide the yogurt evenly over each. Sprinkle with the nuts; serve warm. Makes 2 servings.