This is a wonderful salad that I make at least two to three times a week. It consists of all fresh fruit except the tangerines. We have a wonderful grocery store close by with a fantastic produce department. This recipe can be difficult for those who don’t have access to wonderful, ripe, sensational fruit at their grocery store or farmer’s market.

Our produce market offers not only fresh fruit, but also fresh fruit prepared in very high-quality plastic packaging, such as berries, watermelon, melon and fresh pineapple. We buy these containers often. They make great healthy snacks for kids and an easy fruit addition to a cereal breakfast.

This salad is incredibly easy and my family enjoys it for breakfast as well as lunch or dinner.

Ingredients may vary depending on what is available and of good quality. Due to the number of different fruits used, you don’t need large amounts of any one specific fruit to feed the family. It is basically a “sampling” of several varieties of fruit. You don’t have to limit yourself to these fruits, or feel like you have to use them all. It is strictly a matter of choice and what is available.

Fruit Salad (Fresh Fruit except mandarins)

* Nectarines

* Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries (optional and if it is in season)

* Sweet melon or melon pieces (prepared)

* Bananas

* Seedless grapes

* Naval oranges (those big, big, healthy naval oranges!)

* Kiwis (ripe kiwis, not soft but “give” a bit when pressed gently)

* Apple sections

* Handles

* Mandarin orange sections (canned in juice)

* Chunk of Kraft Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

balsamic dressing

* ¼ cup orange juice

* ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

* 2 ½ tablespoons of water

* 1 ½ tablespoons of honey

* ¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

* ½ teaspoon salt

Place the dressing ingredients in a jar, place the lid on the jar, and shake vigorously to mix. Cool completely.

Wash the fruit (except bananas and kiwis) and dry it. When you’re ready to eat, place the salad plates on the counter. Peel the kiwis, slice them and add them to each salad plate. Repeat with the bananas. Peel the oranges and divide them into sections, adding a few to each plate. Cut the apples leaving the skin intact. Slice the nectarines, leaving the skin on the fruit, cutting pieces around the bone trying not to waste the pulp. Arrange well on salad plates. Drain the tangerines and save the juice for a fruit smoothie or barbecue sauce. Divide the tangerines among the plates. Arrange the grapes on the plates, mixing them with the other ingredients. Slice chunks of cheddar cheese and arrange on plates. Cheese goes fast, so include 3-4 thick slices. At this point, you can relax uncovered for a while. When ready to eat, shake the chilled balsamic dressing vigorously to re-mix and drizzle lightly over the entire fruit salad. Delicious!

Variation: If you’re not a fan of balsamic dressing, and I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t be, but if you aren’t, I’ll do my best to understand. You can omit the balsamic dressing. Instead, add a few tablespoons of quality vanilla-flavored yogurt to the top of salads. Dannon and Stonyfield are my favorite yogurts. Enjoy!

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