Winter Fruit Salad

Winter Fruit Salad
Dorcas Annette Walker

The old saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, has lots of scientific knowledge to back it up. I wasn’t impressed growing up eating oatmeal and applesauce for breakfast every morning. In fact I declared that once I was grown up I’ve never ever eat oatmeal or applesauce. Guess what I start my morning out with today? Even though our family lived in the poverty bracket, due to my father being disabled with severe hemophilia, my parents made sure that our diet was balanced with fruits and vegetables. I thought this would be a great time to make a fruit salad using up any leftover fruits still sitting around from the holiday season.

Studies show compelling evidence that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help ward off heart disease, stroke, be an effective tool for controlling your blood pressure, lower cholesterol, prevent diverticulitis, guard against developing cataract and macular degeneration, and even prevent and protect against some types of cancer. Fruit is shown to stimulate memory and help with depression. After consuming substantial amounts of fruit on a regular basis, people that were depressed noticed a difference in feeling better about themselves.

Interesting enough all diets agree on fresh fruit. Fruit is one hundred percent cholesterol free! The wonderful thing about fruit is the ingestible fiber that passes through the digestive system soaking up water like a sponge as it expands decreasing pressure on the intestinal tract. Fruit also consists for the largest part of water that our bodies need on a daily basis. We should all learn to eat more fruits and vegetables. Make a resolution this New Year to try a variety of different fruits and vegetables. Break out of your rut, be brave, and explore other types of fruits and vegetables to add to your diet. There are numerous varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables available today in our supermarkets. Another alternative during the winter months is dried fruits, which still contain the necessary nutrients the body needs. Dried fruit may contain more calories per serving than fresh if you are counting calories.

When putting together a fruit salad let your imagination soar. This is one area where fresh and canned items go well together. You can even try a new fruit and add a twist to your fruit salad. Fruit salads are a quick and easy way to round out a meal or it can be eaten by itself as a healthy snack. My Winter Fruit Salad adds a bit of color to the winter days using canned and fresh fruits with a cooked dressing to tie it together. Preparation time is thirty to forty-five minutes depending on how much fresh fruit you have to prepare. My Winter Fruit Salad recipe serves around twenty-five. You can halve the recipe for a smaller salad.

Winter Fruit Salad

In large bowl drain and save juice of:
1 can fruit cocktail
1 can crushed or chunked pineapple

Add:
2 red apples diced
1 banana sliced
any fresh fruit in season ( I added 3 oranges peeled and diced)
1 bag miniature marshmallows

Optional:
1 c chopped nuts your choice

In large saucepan cook until thick:
fruit juice (a little over 1 cup)
1 c sugar
3 tb cornstarch
Stir in:
1 tb lemon juice

Cool and slowly add with wire Wisk until smooth:
16 oz cool whip

Pour over fruit and mix together. Chill and serve in crystal bowl. May garnish with fresh fruit!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a freelance writer, author, columnist, and photographer from Jamestown, TN. If you have any cooking tips or favorite recipes you are welcome to contact me by mail at: Dorcas Walker, 929 Wildwood Lane, Jamestown, TN 38556 or email me at: dorcaswalker@yahoo.com. For more information about the Walker family and Dorcas’ books check out her website at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com or htpp://dorcasannettewalker.blogspot.com for other Creative Mountain Cookin recipes.