Big, Bright, Beautiful Fruit Salad

It's been a few weeks since I have posted about that health and fitness challenge I'm participating in, but we are still working away at it!  I wanted to talk a little bit about this week's challenge because it has been my favorite thus far...to meet or exceed our recommended servings of fruit daily.  According to MyPlate my recommendation is 2 cups of fruit daily.  That's it?!

 

I could eat this entire bowl at once...that's definitely more than 2 cups!

This one is going to be super easy for me.  I love fruit.  I seriously cannot get enough of it.  While February seems like a silly time to be posting a fruit salad recipe, I assure you it is and let me tell you why.  I do not need to remind anyone that it is Winter...the sub-zero temperatures have been doing a good job at that already.  If you are like me you are probably starting to get the Winter "blehs".  There is no better cure for Spring fever, at least one quite as effective and healthy, as indulging in a big, bright, beautiful bowl of fruit.  Just look at that...Doesn't it just scream warmth and sunshine!?

What is so great about this fruit salad is all the colors represented in it: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and even white.  Not only do all of these colorful fruits make it look pretty, but they are full of phytonutrients (which they get their vibrant hues from).  You may have heard of lycopene in tomatoes, beta-carotene in carrots, or flavonoids in grapes...these are all examples of phytonutrients.  Phytonutrients are naturally occurring chemicals in plants that while not essential in the human diet, can provide some pretty remarkable health benefits from their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

A serving (or three if you're like me) of this salad will give you a good helping of these compounds.  The strawberries and raspberries represent the red group, the blackberries and blueberries the blue/purple group, the kiwi and green grapes the green group, the pineapple and oranges the yellow/orange group, and the coconut the white group if you decide to sprinkle some on top! 

Ingredients:

1 pineapple, cut in chunks
1 (16 oz.) container strawberries, cut in quarters
1 (6 oz.) container raspberries
1 (6 oz.) container blackberries
1 (6 oz.) container blueberries
2-3 clementines, separated into segments
1 small bunch green grapes, sliced in half
1/4 cup honey
Juice and zest of 1 orange
Shredded coconut, optional

Directions:
Wash and prep the fruit.  Place all fruit in a large bowl (use one with a good-sealing lid for storage).  In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, freshly squeezed orange juice, and orange zest.  Pour the glaze over the fruit and toss to coat all pieces evenly.  Top with shredded coconut if desired.  That's it!  Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

DISCLAIMER: The content on this blog, www.mind-bodypursuit.blogspot.com, represents the thoughts, ideas, and experiences of its author and should be taken as such…with a grain of salt.  It is for entertainment purposes only and not intended to prevent, diagnose, or cure.  Before trying any new physical activity, dietary plan, supplementation, complementary and alternative therapy, or other wellness tip please seek the guidance of a qualified professional.