Summer Fruit Salad

This summer fruit salad is a simple combination of juicy seasonal fruit drizzled with vanilla, mint, and lime juice. It’s deliciously sweet, refreshing on a hot summer day, and a must-have for BBQs, get-togethers, and beach days! & with no added sugar, the fruit is sure to shine!

The question may be asked, is there really a need for a fruit salad recipe? The answer is quite possibly no, however, I’m going to give you a combination that can’t be beat. There really are endless combinations/variations for fruit salad, however, if you choose the wrong combination of fruits and/or assemble too early, you can end up with a not so great fruit salad. And no one wants that. Am I right? The star of my fruit salad is quite possibly the mango and why I called this ‘Summer Fruit Salad’.

Many of my patients have diabetes. A common question is, ‘Can I eat fruit?” My answer always and forever is that you CAN eat fruit and you SHOULD eat fruit. Some fruits naturally have more carbohydrates than other fruits and likewise some fruits have more fiber than others. Rather than hyper focus on the amount of carbohydrates in a fruit, I always try to teach patients on how to pair their foods together. While fruit tastes great on its own, try pairing the fruit with a source of protein and healthy fats. My go-to combination for mango is to mix it with yogurt and a seed, i.e., chia seed, hemp seed, and/or flaxseed. It’s understandable that we don’t always combine the mango with the protein and fat source, but the idea is to get patients thinking of how to build a better plate and/or bowl when and where we can. And mango in Miami is a must!

Ingredients: Summer Fruit Salad

• Strawberries: While not in season in Miami, they are in season everywhere else and they are beyond sweet!
• Mango: The beauty of mango is the variety within mangos itself. See the picture above. It’s actually hard for me to tell you my favorite if I’m being honest. Find you a in-season one and go to town!
• Grapes: Included for the contrast in color and I chose green grapes. Another fruit often discussed by my patients with diabetes that ‘can really spike their blood sugar’ and why I’ve incorporated it in a fruit salad rather than just by itself. (This does not mean you can’t have grapes on their own, however, here to show how to do so with possibly less of a blood sugar spike).
• Blueberries: Blue/Purple hues are quite possibly the hardest ones to incorporate into our diet. Blueberries are also in season in the summer and great to have in this fruit salad.
• Vanilla: A little will go a long way, but my go-to tip on how to add/enhance flavor without adding sugar. Yes, the fruit is already naturally sweet, however, adding either spices and/or herbs can sometimes easily enhance a flavor.
• Lime: Opted for lime over lemon, as I didn’t want the combination too tart. Lime here combines with the fruits better.
• Mint: Yes, this could be left off, however, once again, you’re adding an herb for flavor as there is no ‘sugar’. Mint pairs well with fruit to draw out even more flavor.

Tips for the Best Summer Fruit Salad

Top tips for making the best fruit salad: 
— Say no to frozen fruit (for making a fruit salad). When you defrost fruit, it can end up deflated and mushy, which isn’t ideal for fruit salad. I recommend using only fresh, ripe fruit for this salad.
— Keep it fresh. For maximum freshness, hold off on the dressing until it’s time to serve. Aim for adding it 30 minutes prior to serving.

Fruit salad variations:
Honestly, you can add whatever fruits you like to this salad, however, I added mango here as it is naturally so sweet. The dressing is a simple mixture of vanilla extract, lime juice and mint, with no added sugar. Many recipes out there have added honey and/or agave, but using fruit that is at its peak as well as a few that have more natural sweetness allows you to play off the natural sugars. Promise, the mango makes it out of this world. If you’re not able to find mango, use a banana. And if you’re using a banana, definitely add right before serving so the banana doesn’t turn brown.

Making it ahead:
Prep the fruit no more than 4 hours in advance—any longer and you’ll start to see the cut fruit shrivel and oxidize. Hold off on adding the dressing and keep your cut fruit well-covered and refrigerated until it’s time to serve. 

Storing fruit salad:
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. As mentioned, the longer it sits the less fresh it literally tastes. This recipe is great for a gathering/get-together. If you were making this for yourself, I’d prep a portion of the fruit and add only a spoon of the dressing as you eat it.

How To Make Summer Fruit Salad

1. Prepare the fruit: wash (and dry) the strawberries, grapes, and blueberries. Peel the mangoes. Then slice the fruit into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Make the dressing: whisk the lime juice, vanilla extract and mint together in a small bowl.
3. Toss the salad: drizzle the lime-mint-vanilla dressing on the fruit salad and gently toss it all together.
4. Voilà – Eat and enjoy this summer fruit salad!

Other Summer Salads

• Fig, Arugula, and Burrata Salad
• Watermelon, Mint, and Feta Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Fried Goat Cheese and Strawberry Salad

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