Fruit Salad

If you've had young children any time in the last decade or so, you might have the same issue with this side dish that we do.  I can't utter the words "fruit salad" without someone chiming in with the Wiggles rendition....singing "yummy yummy."  Unfortunately, because a fruit salad is actually made with fruit, they'll sing "yummy yummy" but they won't say it.  My big boys won't touch the stuff.

More for me.

I love to make this fruit salad when we get together with friends because gatherings tend to have carb-heavy fare--meat on a bun, potato salad, pasta salad, chips, dips, cookies, brownies and other good stuff.  It's like bringing a dessert (which I also like to do) that you can't feel guilty about eating.  There's little in it that isn't healthy.  

Chopped apples

chopped walnuts

diced peaches

strawberries

grapes

and Craisins....they add a great texture.

Usually with a fruit salad, the healthy fruit part gets cancelled out by everything that gets globbed on top of it--bad stuff like dressing and candy pieces and whipped topping.  Not so with this.  I use nonfat Greek yogurt with honey and vanilla to sweeten it up.  Check this out.

My aunt and uncle have bees.  A-mazing stuff.

It only looks bad for you!

I could eat this for every meal.  It's a fact that after I make this fruit salad, I do eat it for every meal until it's gone.  And then I want some more.  

You know who else could eat this for every meal?

 

The chickens.  When they see this little basket, they come running.  Which is pretty funny until they get close.  And then it's terrifying.  That's why I send my children out with it.  I don't like chickens.  You know what else I don't like?

That's right.  Turkeys.  They're big and really ugly.  I'm warning my family that these birds won't last long on our farm.  Thanksgiving is just two months away.  You know what I say about that?

"Roast turkey.  Yummy, yummy...."

I like to torment them sometimes.

Fruit Salad
Dressing borrowed from this Ina Garten recipe

3 Apples, peeled and diced
2 pints of strawberries, diced
3 peaches, peeled and diced
Grapes, cut in half
1/2 cup Craisins
1 small package of diced walnuts (about a half cup)
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt
2 T. honey
1 tsp vanilla

Amount and types of fruits are entirely optional--use what you like.  Wash and prepare fruit as noted above, adding it to a very large bowl.  In a smaller bowl, whisk yogurt, honey and vanilla until smooth and well blended.  Add to the fruit and mix well.  It is best to serve this within a few hours of when it is prepared.  Though it tastes good the next day or two after it's made, it tends to get a bit watery and doesn't look as appealing!