Salads with Fruit.....YUM

Last month we had a challenge to gather recipes that contained fruit.  Here are a few of those recipes.

1.  Mixed Baby Greens Salad with Mandarin Oranges

Ingredients:
1 bag mixed baby greens, 10 ounces
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 English or European seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons rice wine or white vinegar, eyeball it
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, eyeball it
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Sesame seeds, for garnish, 2 tablespoons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine greens, oranges and cucumber in a salad bowl. In a small bowl, combine vinegar and sugar. Whisk in vegetable oil and sesame oil. Pour dressing over salad. Add sesame seeds, salt and pepper and toss.

2.  Salad with Fruit & Greek Yogurt

5-Cup Salad
Mix 1 Cup each
Pineapple Chunks
Mandarin Oranges
Shredded Coconut
Sour Cream (could probably substitute Greek Yogurt to make more healthy)
small Marshmallows

Can eat immediately or allow to sit in fridge for flavors to combine.

I know the marshmallows aren't exactly healthy, but the sugar from the marshmallows combines with the sour cream which makes it very tasty. You could put in less marshmallows or cut completely since the juices from the fruit will flavor the sour cream to an extent.

3.  Spinach & Fruit Salad

 1 bag of cleaned spinach broken into pieces
1 quart of hulled and sliced strawberries or
16 oz can mandarin oranges
1 pkg of toasted slivered almonds

Dressing:
1/2 c sugar - sweet n low
1/4 c oil - veg or olive
1/4 red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp poppy seed
1/4 c worcestershire sauce

optional:
pinch of paprika
2 tsp strawberry flavoring or orange flavoring

Place Spinach and strawberries or oranges in salad bowl. Mix together sugar, oil, vinegar, sesame and poppy seeds and Worcestershire sauce and flavorings. Pour over salad just before serving. and top with almonds.

4.  Layered Fruit Salad

2 medium bananas, sliced
2 cups pineapple chunks
2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced
1 cup red seedless grapes
1 pint strawberry, sliced
1 medium grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cinnamon stick

Directions:

1 In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice and zest, lemon juice and rind, brown sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.

2 Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.

3 Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

4 Layer the fruit in a glass serving bowl.

5 Remove the cinnamon stick from the sauce; pour the sauce over the fruit.

6 Cover and chill for several hours before serving.