Summer Fruit Salad

Summer fruit salad: This summer fruit salad is full of fresh bold flavors like pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and mandarin oranges, and an amazing glaze that just makes those flavors more vibrant.

During the summer months when it is too hot to really spend much time in the kitchen, we love easy meals. Fruit salad tops the list of my children’s favorite summer side. This one is very simple, but rates high on their list. Whenever I make this, I use whatever fruit I have on hand, except melon. It is light, fresh, sweet, and great by itself, as a side, or served on top of pancakes, cookies, etc.

It is an excellent breakfast, or a healthy snack no one wants to turn down. And if it doesn’t all get eaten, I just toss the leftovers in a blender with some juice, and make a delicious smoothie!

I love the simplicity of a fruit salad, and usually when it comes to summer fruit salads I just mix the fruits together. But for this particular recipe I make a glaze, and I am always surprised how much it makes a difference. It just enhances the flavors and helps highlight the sweet and sourness of the fruit.

I love how refreshing it is. And how simple it is. And you can see for yourself how gorgeous it is.

I need some of the things in my life to be simple, and this fruit salad is just that. I don’t know about you guys, but my life feels complicated a lot. I guess with four kids who are active and involved, and two busy jobs, a house, a dog, and large extended families, that is to be expected.

Sometimes I start to feel sorry for myself, after all, like EVERYONE else I experience setbacks, problems, bumps in the road, curveballs, and issues. But then when I chat with others and start seeing what they are going through and the problems they are having, it makes me grateful for my own. It is interesting how even when they seem hard to bear, often they are tailor made for your capabilities. Am I right?

Anyway, I am obviously feeling a little sentimental tonight. I just had a long talk with someone I love who has been struggling. And it made me think about how nice it is sometimes to just enjoy the simple things. Like this fruit salad.

So I am going to go and enjoy my summer, and my summer fruit salad, and maybe even read a book for a few minutes. Want to join me?

Tips for Great Summer Fruit Salad:

• Wait to glaze it. You don’t want your fruit to get soggy, so add the glaze about 5-10 minutes before serving, giving it enough time to soak in and be extra delicious,but not to break down the fruits.
• If the fruits do break down, don’t toss it, make a smoothie with it, the flavors are still awesome, even if the texture gets blah.
• Serve immediately. The acid will break down the berries fairly quickly, so make it just before serving. If you want to make it ahead, refrigerate and glaze just before serving.
• Substitute to your preference. I love these flavor combinations, especially when the berries are ripe and the pineapple is sweet. But sometimes you just have to use what you have. Apple is great in here. Banana can be used too, but eat it right away. Avoid melons in this particular fruit salad.

 

Tools Used To Make Summer Fruit Salad:

• Can Opener: Okay, you guys, I can’t even tell you how much I love, love, love this can opener. It is an “as-seen-on-tv” type can opener. My friend had one, and I was like, “What??? Where did you get this?” Basically you set it on top of the can. You press the button, and let it run. Then you get a perfectly removed lid. You can find it here: Can Opener.
  Can Opener
• A strawberry huller: Okay, this is not strictly necessary. But this is one little kitchen gadget I love. I hate wasting any part of those big beautiful berries, and so a huller helps me cut down on waste, and makes things quick! This is the one I have. 
  Strawberry Huller

Update: Everyone keeps asking me where I got the olive wood spoon in the picture, and I got it in a little market in Wisconsin when I was visiting cheese shops to learn all about cheese. But the good news is, I found the same one on Amazon and you can find it here. 

Love Summer Salads? Try some of these:

• Light Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Frog Eye Salad
• Chicken Noodle Salad
• Naval Orange and Kale Salad

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