Summer fruit salads

Cinnamon-Almond Fruit Salad

This fruit salad has a nice blend of flavors from the fruit and the vanilla-cinnamon topping. The toasted almonds add crunch.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups strawberry halves
• 2 cups blueberries
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 2 cups seedless grapes (red or green)
• 8 ounce container vanilla yogurt (any brand or type)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds (sliced, slivered, or chopped)*

Preparation:

1. Add strawberries, blueberries, bananas and grapes to a large bowl and toss gently to blend. Divide the fruit into 8 individual salad bowls.
2. Add yogurt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract together in a 4-cup measure and stir to blend. Drizzle evenly over each fruit salad serving and sprinkle each with a tablespoon of toasted almonds. Serve!

* NOTE: to toast almonds, place in single layer in a nonstick frying pan and lightly brown over medium heat, stirring frequently. Let cool before using.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 153 calories, 4 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, .6 g saturated fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 3.3 g fiber, 23 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 23%.

Creamy Fruit Salad

This recipe is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C (plus some calcium from the yogurt and some vitamin E if you use the almonds).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup diced cantaloupe or mango
• 1/2 cup (or a 6-ounce container) lemon or vanilla low-fat yogurt
• Dash ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons chopped or sliced roasted almonds, or reduced-fat granola (optional

Preparation:
1. Toss yogurt with fruit in medium-size bowl. Top with cinnamon.
2. Sprinkle with chopped or sliced almonds or reduced-fat granola, if desired.

Yield:
2 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 115 calories, 4 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 1.2 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat, 0.3 g monounsaturated fat, 0.2 g polyunsaturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 44 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 9%.

Tropical Fruit Salad

Bring a taste of the tropics to your fruit salad with this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 20-ounce can pineapple chunks canned in juice
• 2 kiwi, peeled, halved and sliced
• 2 cups strawberries, quartered
• 1 large banana, sliced
• 1 papaya or mango, peeled and cubed (or substitute an 11-ounce can of mandarin oranges, drained)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest or peel
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Preparation:
1. Drain pineapple chunks, and reserve 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice.
2. Add pineapple chunks, kiwi, strawberries, banana, and papaya or mango to large serving bowl.
3. Put 1/4 cup pineapple juice, lime peel, lime juice and honey in a 2-cup measure and whisk together until nicely blended. Drizzle over the salad, and toss to coat the fruits well. Sprinkle coconut over the top before serving, if desired.

Yield:
About 7 cups

Nutritional Information:
Per cup: 101 calories, 1.2 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 0.6 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 4 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 5%.

source:   http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=60654