Celebrate the holiday season in sweet style or add more merry to an everyday winter meal with this Festive Winter Fruit Salad with Chia Seed Dressing. Seems like fruit salad often takes a backseat in the colder-weather months, but no need to keep Mother Nature’s beautiful bounty a side dish for just summer dinners and events.

Featuring the best picks of winter fruits, including a few year-round staples (bananas to the rescue!), this winter fruit salad is dressed up with a lightly sweet-tangy poppyseed dressing. It’s a lovely addition to any holiday or Christmas brunch and or even to liven up packed lunches for work or school.

Confession: I can eat fruit until almost making myself sick, it’s the figurative candy of the “real” food world. While fruit does have carbohydrates, it’s not the straight up white sugar and corn syrups found in candy – instead the carbohydrates come from the fruit’s natural sugars and fiber, so you get longer-lasting energy, plus loads of extra vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. What perfect fuel for running or a busy day of errands! There are definitely worse foods to binge out on, and a winter fruit salad makes a really smart way to soothe a sweet tooth during this holiday season when there are so many temptations.

Serve in a big bowl at your holiday buffet, or package up in glass canning jars* for a “to-go” treat in your work lunch or for your winter picnic (maybe going out to chop down a Christmas tree?!) I recently ordered these canning jars with hinged tops which I am loving for my jar salads and such because I can no longer lose the lid!  Leftovers that have gotten a little mushy can even be saved and added to your next protein smoothie.

I’ve prepared a healthy chia seed dressing that uses Greek yogurt and a bit of honey for light sweetness that doesn’t take away from the fruit. I really like the black chia seeds from Now Foods, they are organic and also a good deal. In a pinch, I’ll scrap the homemade fruit salad dressing, and use Poppyseed Dressing from Litehouse Foods makes a decidedly easy and delicious swap!

What is your favorite winter fruit to put in a salad? Please share in the comments? XOXO, Jennifer

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Festive Winter Fruit Salad with Chia Seed Dressing

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

Decorate your next holiday meal with this easy, colorful fruit side dish featuring the season's best pickings!

Course: Breakfast, brunch, entree salad, lunch

Keyword: chia seed, fruit, holiday

Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped apple skin-on
• 2 cups chopped pear skin-on
• 2 medium bananas slices
• 2 cups red grapes cut in half if large
• 2 cups peeled clementine segments or seedless tangerines
• 2 kiwis peeled and sliced
• ½ cup pomegranate arils

For Dressing*:

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 4 teaspoons champagne or white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chia seeds

Instructions

1. Mix together all prepped fruits into large bowl, set aside.
2. In small bowl whisk together dressing ingredients, until emulsified. May also shake ingredients together in a Mason jar with lid.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad and gently stir to coat, adding more or less according to your taste preference.
4. Optional, sprinkle with “extras” like shredded coconut, slivered almonds, dried craisins before serving.
5. May make ahead, dressed, and kept chilled in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.

Recipe Notes

*Or, can substitute 2/3 cup Poppyseed Dressing from Litehouse