Summer is the perfect time to indulge in fresh, vibrant, and healthy dishes, and nothing screams summer more than a refreshing fruit salad. Add a pop of bold color to your table with a red fruit salad, made up of the summer’s best season – watermelon, strawberries, cherries and raspberries.
Not only is a salad of red fruit visually stunning, it’s also packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and a burst of natural sweetness. The easy Lime-Honey-Mint Dressing enhances the sweetness with a bright tang of citrus – no need to dirty another dish, I just mix it up in the bottom of my serving dish and then toss around after adding fruit before serving.
A fun way to prep the salad is in a large, wide-mouth mason jar – keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Then dump into a bowl before serving, the dressing on the bottom ends up on top!! Perfect for a summer patio meal, pool party or pot luck!
This beautiful fruit salad — featuring red raspberries, strawberries, watermelon and cherries – will be the star of your summer celebration. Super easy to make, so also perfect for lazy days or busy night meals.
Course:
Dessert, entree salad, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword:
cherries, fruit salad, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
2Tbsp.honey
1 ½Tbsplime juice
2tspchopped fresh mint leaves
Fruit4 cups total, can vary a bit
¾cupraspberries
¾cuphalved and pitted cherries
1cupsliced strawberries
1 ½cupwatermelon cubes1/2” cut
Instructions
In bottom of glass jar that holds 4 cups or a medium serving bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice and chopping fresh mint.
When ready to add raspberries, halved and pitted cherries, sliced strawberries, and chopped watermelon to bowl and gently toss to coat with dressing.
Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to two days.
There’s no time like summer to enjoy fresh salads that are not only exploding with flavor but also bring fabulous color to the table – like this Red, White and Blue Caprese Salad.
Who doesn’t love a Caprese salad with juicy tomatoes, aromatic sweet basil and creamy mozzarella cheese all drizzled in a balsamic dressing or syrup? This is my patriotic version of the classic favorite summer salad that adds blueberries in honor of the Red, White and Blue. This beautiful salad can be tossed together in two minutes and is a delicious and easy way to celebrate the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or any warm-weather gathering. This is a must-make for berry season and summer entertaining by the pool, patio or a potluck!
TIPS FOR MAKING BLUEBERRY CAPRESE SALAD
Mozzarella: This creamy, mild cheese is the cornerstone of a Caprese salad and I like that it brings a little protein to the party. I used mozzarella pearls (so cute and perfect for a salad) but you can also use a bigger ball of mozzarella and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Balsamic Syrup: To keep life easy, I used a prepared balsamic syrup rather than make my own by reducing balsamic vinegar in a saucepot until thickened. The particular prepared balsamic syrup I used was infused with ginger, it was SO DELICIOUS. Also, as an alternative, you can use the balsamic salad dressing of your choice or simply olive oil for a less sweet effect on this tomato cheese salad.
Basil: You can’t skip the fresh basil in a Caprese salad! I like to grow a pot of my own sweet basil in the summer, to have in abundance for my recipes as inspired. But you can also grab fresh sprigs in the market. To store your clipped basil sprigs, place stem ends in a cup with a bit of water and store on the countertop to use within a few days – in the fridge, leaves will turn black-brown quickly.
Everyone loves a Caprese salad with juicy tomatoes, aromatic sweet basil and creamy mozzarella cheese all drizzled in balsamic syrup. My patriotic version of the classic favorite summer salad that adds blueberries in honor of the USA and Red, White and Blue. Perfect for summer entertaining.
Cuisine:
Italian
Keyword:
balsamic, blue cheese, blueberry, mozzarella, salad, tomato
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
4oz.mozzarella pearlsdrain if packed water
4oz.grape or cherry tomatoeshalved
4oz.fresh blueberriesor thawed frozen berries
¼cupcoarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
2tbsp(+/-) balsamic syrupor balsamic dressing
Optional: slices of mozzarella to punch out star shapes with a cookie cutter
Instructions
Toss mozzarella pearls, tomatoes, blueberries and basic in a serving bowl. Drizzle with balsamic syrup.
If desired, used cookie cutter to punch out star shapes from slices of mozzarella cheese.
Best served when made, but leftovers stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days (although basil may oxidize a bit, it’s still fine to eat).
Hulling a strawberry with a straw is a simple and effective method to remove the stem and the flavorless core. It’s quick, easy and efficient — especially if you are preparing a bunch of strawberries at once for a fruit tray, summer snack, or as an ingredient for recipes. Also, this strawberry hack is safe for kids — no knife needed and they will have lots of fun with the ‘chore’.
What you need: Fresh strawberries and a straw. A sturdy straw works best, such as a metal straw or a reusable plastic straw). Even a higher-quality disposable straw (like from fast food) will work — but a paper straw will definitely NOT hold up.
HOW TO HULL STRAWBERRIES WITH A STRAW
Wash berries under cool water to remove dirt and pesticides.
Hold strawberry with one hand, straw with the other.
Insert straw into bottom of berry, directly opposite of the stem.
Push and/or gently wiggle straw upwards to effectively remove core and stem in one motion.
Pull out straw, which also removes core/stem.
Pull stem out of straw and repeat with remaining strawberries. Compost or toss away this part.
Sometimes on bigger berries, a bit of leafy section will remain. Just nip that off with a paring knife.
By following these strawberry prep steps, you’ll have perfectly hulled strawberries ready for your recipes or as a healthy snack! Washed, dried, and hulled strawberries should remain fresh for about a week if stored in an air-tight container lined with paper towels. I find the paper towels help help soak up any additional moisture and lengthen the storage time.
Deck your plate for the holidays with this festive quinoa salad featuring pomegranate and orange. it’s a beautiful, healthy, delicious recipe elegant enough for the season’s celebrations and simple enough for a simple weeknight dinner.
A simple creamy dressing made with a vinaigrette base along with Greek yogurt and date syrup adds even more flavor to this simple holiday quinoa salad that comes together with just a handful of healthy ingredients.
This pomegranate orange quinoa recipes makes 4 servings, each with 146 calories, 26g carbs, 3.1g fat and 4.8g protein.
I pair this cold quinoa salad with a quality protein to make sure I’m hitting my 25-30g per meal goal. Tonight, I made cod that was simply seasoned and air-fried.
TIPS FOR FESTIVE QUINOA SALAD:
Quinoa: You can use any color quinoa (eg: white, red, black, mixed). Also, consider batch-cooking quinoa and keeping in the freezer in 1-cup portions. This makes creating quick recipes with this healthy whole grain (really a seed), even easier – you can read my quinoa prep post HERE.
Pomegranate & Oranges: Use fresh or pre-packaged, it really only comes down to your preference and time to prep. If using either from a jar, tub, or can, choose “no sugar added” and drain off the juice so the quinoa isn’t soggy later. However, do reserve about 1 tablespoon of pomegranate juice for the dressing (or if fresh, drain it from the bowl after getting the arils out).
Dressing: This recipe makes just enough for the salad, and I prefer underdressed salads. If you think it needs more, double the dressing recipe and pour it on a little at a time – going by taste. Also, if you’d like to turn this from a vegetarian quinoa recipe into a vegan quinoa recipe, then use a substitute for the Greek yogurt, such as a plant-based yogurt, tahini or a natural nut butter.
Optional Ideas: You can swap out the pistachios for a chopped nut of choice like almonds, pecans – or none at all. Also, I love to sprinkle mine with feta cheese for a salty contrast with the sweet.
Make Ahead & Storing: This recipe will get a little soggy if you make the day before. To save time, it’s best to prep the ingredients (cook quinoa, chop spinach, peel/seed fruit, etc) the day before. Then simply toss everything together and shake up the dressing – it will literally just take 2 minutes! You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Still tastes yummy, but the crunch of the nuts and crisp of the spinach will be gone.
This is one of my favorite creative quinoa salad ideas – for it’s flavor, fast-fixing, and festive appearance! Enjoy!
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Transform plain quinoa into something to celebrate for theholiday season! Pomegranate, orange segments and pistachios bejewel this quick,easy and nourishing vegetarian salad that is equally beautiful for a dinnerparty or quick lunch!
Course:
entree salad, Side Dish
Cuisine:
holiday
Keyword:
holiday, orange, pomegranate, quinoa
Servings: 4servings
Calories: 162kcal
Ingredients
1cupcooked quinoa
1cupchopped fresh baby spinach
¾cuppomegranate arilsjuice drained & reserved if packaged container
¾cupmandarin orange segments packed in water or juiceor fresh
¼cupshelled pistachio kernelscoarsely chopped
Dressing:
1tablespoonolive oil
1tablespoonjuice reserved from pomegranate or orange segments
1tablespoonwhite wine vinegar
2tablespoonsGreek yogurt
1tablespoondate syrup
1/8teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Add quinoa, spinach, pomegranate and orange segments (cut in half crosswise) into medium bowl.
In small mason jar, shake together dressing ingredients until emulsified.
Pour dressing over salad and gently stir.
Before serving, stir in pistachios.
Best eaten right after making to keep the texture of the lettuce and pistachios. But you can store leftovers in fridge for up to 3 days and it’s still good.
The weather is warming up, and so is my appetite for knocking out some intense outdoor workouts and refueling my efforts with a flavorful yet functional smoothie – my Pineapple Tart Cherry Ginger Smoothie for Joint and Bone Care is a favorite for a bevy of reasons.
Obviously, this anti-inflammation pineapple smoothie going to taste great, naturally sweetened with fruit. It also is made with whole fruits/veggies rather than juice, to offer more nutrients like fiber. This anti-inflammatory smoothie is also “light” enough to be tolerated well (and only about 200 calories) if eating a lot after exercise is unappealing – yet offers carbs, protein and other nutrients needed to top off your tank and set workout recovery in motion. One of the biggest perks of this pineapple cherry smoothie is that it’s filled with functional foods (and supplements) that help support healthy bones and joints.
Let me give you a run down on the beneficial foods in this anti-inflammatory shake that includes bone and joint supplements:
Pineapple: Pineapple adds natural sweetness and is known for the enzyme Bromelain which is found in the flesh and stem. Some research indicates bromelain may be helpful in the management of osteoarthritis and/or for muscle soreness and injury after exercise. It also helps break down proteins and aids in digestion.
Tart Cherries: Tart cherries (also called Montmorency cherries) add tangy, sweet flavor and have been shown to minimize arthritis pain and postexercise muscle soreness by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. These benefits have been noted for both strength and endurance athlete, according to research.
Ginger: Ginger adds zing to any fruit or green smoothie and research shows may help lessen the stiffness and joint discomfort associated with arthritis. Ginger may also may reduce the amount and length of exercise-related muscle soreness. Ginger is also an easy home remedy for nausea and digestion which can be perks for hard summer workouts.
Cucumbers: Blending cucumbers into smoothies is a smart way to boost hydration (95% water) and add low-carb “volume” to balance out the fruit sugars from pineapple and cherries. Cucumbers are also a good source of Vitamins A, B and C; and contain phytonutrients that provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
Almond Milk: Just like its core ingredient, almond milk is laden with nutrients which are great for joint, bone and overall health – and helps avoid diary which may be an inflammation trigger for some. Magnesium, one of the minerals found in almonds and almond milk, also plays a role in the structural development of bone.
Save 10% Great Lakes Wellness collagen and products with code THEFITFORK10off
Collagen Peptides: Collagen peptides from types 1 and 3 bovine collagen are well-known for their roles in bone, joint and skin health. * As the most abundant protein in mammals, collagen makes up about 30% of the body’s protein. Studies indicate that hydrolyzed collagen may help to support strong bones and healthy joints as well as skin smoothness and hydration.* I also like to include collagen in my post-workout smoothies because each serving gives me about 10g of additional protein I need in my day.
Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic Acid is a joint-lubricating compound present in every tissue of the body, with the highest concentrations found in connective tissues such as skin and cartilage.* As a constituent of joint fluid, hyaluronic acid serves as a lubricant and plays a role in resisting compressive forces.* The liquid Hyaluronic Acid formula combines this critical joint component with Vitamin D and other important nutrients for the support of optimal joint health and is berry-flavored making it a yummy boost for this anti-inflammatory smoothie.
Vitamin D-3: NOW® Vitamin D-3 Extra Strength in liquid drop form is a quick and easy way to get this important nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium and maintain strong bones. Vitamin D also has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties to support immune health, muscle function and brain cell activity. Many of us find ourselves low in Vitamin D due to purposefully-avoided sun exposure or diet challenges (Vitamin D isn’t naturally found in many foods), these extra-strength liquid format offers 1000 IU per drop!
PINEAPPLE TART CHERRY GINGER SMOOTHIE for Joint and Bone Health
Prep Time
5mins
Total Time
5mins
Course:
Breakfast, Snack
Keyword:
inflammation, protein smoothie, workout
Servings: 1serving
Calories: 202kcal
Ingredients
½cupchopped fresh pineapple
½cupfrozen tart cherries
½cupchopped seededpeeled cucumber
1 to 2teaspoonsfresh grated ginger
3tablespoonscollagen peptide powder, unsweetened
1tablespoonliquid hyaluronic acid from NOW Foods*or other brand
2 to 5drops Liquid Extra-Strength Vitamin D-3 from Now Foods*or other brand
1cupunsweetened almond milk
5 to 15drops liquid stevia or monk fruit dropsto desired level of sweetness
Icesas needed
Instructions
Add all ingredients to blender and process until smooth. Pour in tall glass and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
