If fruit salad evokes the image of a boring bowl of cantaloupe and honeydew with a token piece of pineapple it’s time to shake things up. Take the fruits you really love, like mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, figs and peaches, and serve them over a variety of good-for-you greens for a nutrient-packed meal or side dish. With an endless combination of fruits and leafy greens, fruit salad will never be boring again!
1. Exotic Fruit Salad
Talk about getting out of your fruit salad rut. This recipe from Karen Massey, Registered Dietitian for INTEGRIS Health, calls for two ugli fruit. Don’t know what that is? No worries. It’s a tangelo grown exclusively in Jamaica. Not entirely clear what a tangelo is? It’s a juicy hybrid of tangerines and grapefruit. This out of the box fruit combines with oranges and pineapple over romaine lettuce, Belgian endive, and mint leaves to make one unique flavor-packed salad. Photo: Pond5
Serves 6
What You’ll Need
1 head Romaine lettuce
, chopped
1 head Belgian endive, chopped
1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 large oranges
2 ugli fruit
or tangelo
1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons walnut oil
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts, toasted
What to Do
- Wash and dry lettuce, endive and mint; set aside in a large bowl.
- Peel oranges and ugli fruit, removing pith. Divide into segments and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine pineapple juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, cinnamon and walnut oil. Mix well.
- Pour dressing over greens and toss. Place dressed greens on a large platter and top with fruit, raisins and nuts.
2. Strawberry-Mango Spinach Salad
Strawberry spinach salad gets an exotic twist with the addition of vitamin C-rich mango in this recipe from The Bombshell Diet. The heat from the spicy red pepper flakes and the crunch from pumpkin and hemp seeds guarantee this salad is anything but boring. Photo: The Bombshell Diet
Serves 2
What You’ll Need
For the dressing:
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lime juice
Salt, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
For the salad:
3-4 cups baby spinach
5 strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup cubed mango
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons hemp seeds
What to Do
- In a small bowl, whisk together oil and lime juice. Season to taste and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine salad ingredients, top with dressing and toss.
3. Fig, Avocado and Sunflower Sprout Salad
If you hear the word “fig” and immediately think “Newton,” it’s time to expand your horizons. The almost jam-like fruit tastes so decadent, yet sets you back no more than 40 calories per medium-sized fig. Combine that with the creamy rich flavor of avocado (another fruit!) and you’ve got yourself a rich yet healthy fruit salad from A Grateful Life. Photo: Meredith Gnau / A Grateful Life
Serves 1
What You’ll Need
1
large handful sunflower sprouts
1 black mission fig, sliced
1/2 avocado, chopped
1 lemon
Sea salt, to taste
What to Do
- Place sprouts on a plate, top with fig and avocado. Squeeze lemon over greens and sprinkle with salt.
4. Grilled Watermelon Salad
Move watermelon from the side of your plate to center stage — stat! Not only is the summer treat packed with vitamins A, B and C, it’s a better source of the antioxidant, lycopene, than tomatoes. Bonus: the fruit caramelizes when grilled, intensifying its natural sweetness, as in this recipe from Chef Patrick Simon, director of culinary operations at the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas. Photo: Culinary Academy of Las Vegas
Serves 2
What You’ll Need
1 pound watermelon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups arugula
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
Cracked black pepper, to taste
What to Do
- Preheat grill to medium-high. Slice watermelon into 2-inch by 3-inch by 3-inch portions. Brush watermelon with olive oil and grill on one side until marks appear. Rotate once at a 45-degree angle to create diamond grill marks. Set to the side.
- In a small saucepan, reduce vinegar by half over low heat and reserve.
- Place arugula in a small mixing bowl and season with half the salt and remaining olive oil.
- Assemble salad by placing half the arugula on a plate. Top with grilled melon slice and half the goat cheese. Repeat creating two layers. Drizzle reduced vinegar on top. Season with remaining salt and pepper.
5. Arugula, Mint and Apricot Salad
Add often-overlooked apricots to this flavorful arugula and mint salad from Cooking with CSA for a boost in fiber and vitamin A. Finish the refreshing salad off with a zesty two-fruit dressing made of immune-boosting lime and orange juices. Photo: Cooking with CSA
Serves 2-4
What You’ll Need
For the salad:
4 cups arugula
1/2 cup mint
4 apricots
1 cup almonds
2 cups cherry tomatoes
For the dressing:
2 limes
1 orange
What to Do
- Thinly chop arugula and mint and place in a large bowl. Slice apricots and add to bowl. Slice almonds lengthwise and add to bowl. Add cherry tomatoes and mix salad well.
- When ready to serve, cut limes and orange in half and juice over salad. Mix well and serve.
6. White Peach Spinach Salad with Crunchy Honey Dressing
In the words of recipe creator Kim Kushne, author or The Modern Menu, “Crunchy, salty, sweet, and sharp — this salad has it all!” Crisp sunflower and sesame seeds perfectly compliment the sweet juicy peaches and creamy avocado in this recipe. Photo: Andrew Zuckerman
Serves 6-8
What You’ll Need
8 cups baby spinach
Handful haricots verts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 avocado, cubed
1 white peach, skin on, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup salted shelled sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
What to Do:
- Place spinach, haricots verts, avocado and peach in a large bowl or on a large platter.
- Combine sugar, honey, vegetable oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds in a jar with tight-fitting lid. Shake to thoroughly combine. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat.
7. Red Grape and Strawberry Coleslaw
Although a “coleslaw,” this recipe from Healthful Pursuit makes the list because it includes fruit: grapes and strawberries, and is served with cabbage as the greens. Whip up a batch for your next barbecue in lieu of regular coleslaw or less-than-good-for-you potato salad. It’s full of flavor: rich, creamy and satisfying. You can make the coleslaw ahead; this recipe will keep in the refrigerator up to three days. Photo: Leanne Vogel / Healthful Pursuit
Serves 4
What You’ll Need
For the coleslaw:
1 large head savoy cabbage, sliced thin
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup red grapes, halved
5 strawberries, sliced thin
2 red shallots, sliced thin
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons gluten-free Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 small clove garlic
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
What to Do
- Place all coleslaw ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine well.
- In a blender, add first seven dressing ingredients. Blend until smooth. Stir in poppy seeds and pour dressing over salad.
- Toss to coat and allow to sit in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 hour.
8. Blueberry and Butternut Squash Salad
Don’t limit blueberries to your morning muffins, pancakes, or yogurt n’ honey parfait. A great source of vitamins K and C, high in antioxidants, and low on the glycemic index, this berry deserves a place at the lunch and dinner table! Toss together this hearty salad from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council to up your blueberry consumption any time of the day. Photo: The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Serves 6
What You’ll Need
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked couscous
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 cups baby arugula
What to Do
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until tender, about 22 minutes. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous, remove from heat and cover; let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool.
- In a small bowl whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine squash, scallions, blueberries, cheese and couscous. Spread arugula on a serving platter. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon dressing. Add remaining dressing to couscous mixture; toss to combine. Serve over arugula.
9. Kale, Beet, Carrot and Pomegranate Salad
Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty mixing up this colorful salad from CubitsOragnics.com. Massaging avocado into the kale helps break down the leaves, taking away their naturally tough texture. Plus, it’s a great hand moisturizer too. Talk about a salad that is good for you inside and out! Photo: Laura Watts / Cubit’s Organic Living
Serves 6-8
What You’ll Need
For the salad:
2 carrots
3 beets
1 bunch kale
2 avocados
Seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
For the dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 scant teaspoon salt
What to Do
- Grate carrots and beets by hand or in a food processor.
- Tear kale into bite-size pieces. Remove avocado skin and pit. With clean hands, massage avocado flesh into kale being sure to cover each piece.
- Combine kale, carrots, beets and pomegranate seeds. Toss as evenly as possible and set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together dressing ingredients. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss again.
10. Pear-Zucchini Salad
Pear topped salads are nothing new, but this one from A Grateful Life leaves the arugula and blue cheese at home. The “green” in this salad comes from less-expected collard greens and the rich and creamy ingredient is good-for-you avocado. To prevent this salad from being overly bitter, remove the stems from the collard greens. Photo: Meredith Gnau / A Grateful Life
Serves 1-2
What You’ll Need
2 handfuls collard greens
1 handful spinach
1 zucchini
1/8 cup sliced red onion
1 Bartlett pear
Juice from 1 lemon
Sea salt, to taste
1/2 avocado
Seasoned rice vinegar, optional
What to Do
- Devein collard greens by running your knife along both sides of the thick center stem of each leaf. Discard stems. Chop remaining collards and spinach and add to a large bowl.
- Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a mandolin or knife, uniformly slice zucchini into half moons. Next, thinly slice red onion. Cut the pear into quarters removing the core. Thinly slice each quarter making pieces approximately 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Chop avocado into cubes. Add chopped produce to greens.
- Pour lemon juice over salad and salt to taste. Toss well so leaves are coated. Add a small splash of vinegar if desired, plate, and dig in.