August 22, 2022
Fruity Summer Salads You Will Love
One of the best ways you can cool off on a hot summer day is with fresh fruit and a refreshing salad.
Summer fruit salads are a quick and easy meal, plus they are light and healthy, full of nutritious whole foods. You can prep ingredients ahead of time or throw them together on the fly when you just need a way to clean out leftover fruits and veggies from the fridge!
The great thing about salads is that you can really do whatever you want! There are no hard rules about how to make a salad. Throw together greens with ingredients you have available and let the flavors meld together.
Adding fruit into your salad, like fresh strawberries, makes it especially flavorful and filling. Fruit adds a touch of sweet and tart to balance the bitterness of greens. And the best part is that you can use whatever seasonal fruit is available to you.
Whether you want a traditional green salad or healthy salads with fruit, there is no end to the combinations you can create! Try whipping up a few of these delicious fruit salad recipes next time you’re looking for a new twist on a meal or side dish.
Whether Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, or…ANY day… be festive. Serve on top of a bed of spinach for a fun and healthy protein-filled and nutrient-dense salad.
Ingredients:
· 2 packets True Lemon
· 2 packets True Lime
· 3 tbsp olive oil
· 3 tbsp water
· ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
· 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
· ¾ tsp ground cumin
· ¾ tsp salt
· ½ tsp ground black pepper
· 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
· 2 cups diced seedless watermelon
· 1 cup fresh blueberries
· ¼ cup diced red onion (optional)
· 1/3 cup diced or crumbled feta cheese
· Fresh mint sprigs
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine True Lemon, True Lime, olive oil, water, parsley, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk to blend.
2. Add chicken to marinade and turn to coat.
3. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl combine watermelon, blueberry, onion (optional) and fresh mint. Gently stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Grill chicken over medium heat on outdoor grill or stove-top ridged grill pan for 6 minutes per side or until cooked through.
6. Before serving the salad, sprinkle feta cheese on top. Serve with chicken and enjoy!
Watermelon is a staple watermelon fruit! This may not be your traditional salad, but it’s super juicy and refreshing as a snack.
Ingredients:
· 7 cups watermelon
· ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
· ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
· ¼ tsp salt and pepper
· 4 packets True Lime, dissolved in 2 tbsp water
· Olive oil
· Fresh mint leaves
Directions:
1. On a large platter, combine watermelon, feta cheese and cilantro leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk True Lime juice and olive oil.
3. Drizzle True Lemon mixture over salad. Top with fresh mint leaves.
Simply fresh and simply healthy! Lots of nutrients and a good portion of protein are packed into this sweet recipe.
Ingredients:
· 12 ounces cooked, shelled shrimp
· 1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
· 4 packets True Orange dissolved in 2 tbsp water
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· 1 tsp hot sauce
· 1 head red or green leaf lettuce, torn into pieces
· 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (for garnishing)
· Sliced cherry tomatoes (as an optional garnish)
· Salt and pepper
Directions:
1. In a large bowl toss together the shrimp, Granny Smith apple, True Orange juice, olive oil and hot sauce.
2. Add the leaf lettuce and season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide onto serving plates and garnish with pine nuts and tomatoes if desired.
The saltiness of feta cheese makes a perfect complement to sweet fruits, like this salad option. You can also sub out pomegranate for other fruits, like mandarin oranges.
Ingredients:
· 10-ounce package of spring or iceberg lettuce mix
· 1 pomegranate, seeds separated
· 8-once package crumbled or cubed feta cheese
· 6 packets True Lemon + 4 tbsp water
· 1 tsp Dijon mustard
· 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
· 3 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
1. Place lettuce, pomegranate seeds and feta cheese into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Whisk together True Lemon, water, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a separate bowl for salad dressing. Pour over salad and toss to coat.
(PRO TIP: To make seeding the pomegranate easier: Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water. Divide pomegranate into quarters. Hold each piece under the water and gently scrape the seeds out with your thumbs. The rind will float to the top and the seeds will sink to the bottom.)
You can’t go wrong with a traditional fruit salad! Try this spin on a classic vibrant and refreshing snack using any fruits that are in season.
Ingredients:
· 1 small package vanilla pudding mix
· 1 cup water
· 3 packets True Orange
· 4 cups assorted seasonal fresh fruits (such as kiwi, bananas, grapes, strawberries, pomegranate seeds, etc.)
· ¼ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened (optional)
· ¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
· Fresh mint (for garnish)
Directions:
1. Make pudding mix according to the directions on the package. Set aside.
2. Slice fruit and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle fruit with True Orange and gently mix to combine.
3. Keep pudding and fruit separate until ready to serve. Refrigerate.
4. When serving, layer fruit with pudding. Sprinkle with coconut, if desired. Garnish with fresh mint. Sprinkle with more True Orange, if desired.
Written by
Amy Cimo is a Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach and Wellness Enthusiast based out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After going through her own health journey, she found her passion in helping others find balance between nutrition, physical activity and mindset to live healthy and be truly happy. Amy attended Louisiana State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
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