Sunny Fruit Salads

Brighten your menu with these dishes.

Just because it's winter, don't think you have to eliminate fresh fruits from your table. These recipes show case favorites such as apples, citrus, and bananas, adding good health and pizzazz to your meals.

CITRUS SALAD WITH BANANA-POPPY seeD DRESSING

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 25 MIN., CHILL: 30 MIN.

You'll make a delicious dressing thick enough to cling to all the salad ingredients when you blend a ripe banana with plain yogurt.

1 (6-ounce) container plain fat-free yogurt

1 ripe banana, mashed

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

1 head Iceberg lettuce, shredded

2 oranges, peeled and sectioned

2 red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

STIR together first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

PLACE lettuce on a serving platter; arrange orange and grapefruit sections around shredded lettuce. Drizzle evenly with chilled dressing.

DONNA SPINDLER

PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA

SUFFOLK WALDORF SALAD

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 10 MIN.,CHILL: 30 MIN.

We've updated this classic with dried cherries and spinach in place of raisins and lettuce. Apples are key, but make sure you use a crisp snacking variety such as the heart-shaped Gala apple with its yellow-orange skin and red stripes.

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 large Gala apples, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

¼ cup dried cherries, chopped

1 cup spinach leaves

¼ cup pecans, chopped

WHISK together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in apples, celery, and cherries; toss to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Arrange spinach leaves on serving platter; top with chilled apple mixture, and sprinkle evenly with pecans.

AMY PARMAR

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Feb 2006
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