Tutti Frutti
A splendid and sunny beach. Look out over the water...clear and blue. The sand crunches under your toes as you walk.
Feeling a little warmer?
Good.
Now, as you settle into your chair, watching the surfers paddle out, what can you eat?
My first thought is fruit.
Now, I live in a subtropical climate. Fresh fruit is available at the farmers market here almost any time. My good friend Lori lives in Vermont...the tropical fruits are not so readily available there when snow is piled up on the ground. She can, however, usually get the frozen fruit most of the time.
So in order to plan your winter-time culinary escape, you'll have to be a little flexible. See what's available at your local market.
I got strawberries at the farmers market this week...they are almost at the peak of the season in Plant City, an area southwest of here that is known for its big lucious berries. Plant City strawberries are so good the state hosts an annual strawberry festival every year.
Mangos are shipped up from the south part of the state (close enough for me).
I have huge navel oranges on a tree right in my back yard.
So for me, it's easy. You might not have such easy choices, but the frozen section at most supermarkets has a fine selection of frozen fresh fruit. (Don't buy the stuff in the can, it has so much sugar that you barely taste the fruit.)
Here's an easy tropical fruit salad that is so tasty, it doesn't need a dressing. I listed the fruits that I had on hand, but you can substitute whatever you find to make your tropical dream snack a reality.
Tutti Frutti Tropical Fruit Salad
1 cup strawberries, cut into quarters1 mango, cut up
1 orange, cut into wedges
1/4 cup roasted and salted pistachios
1/4 inch inch of ginger root, sliced very finely
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup mint leaves chopped finely
Mix the strawberries, mango, orange, pistachios and ginger in a bowl.
Sprinkle lemon juice over the fruit and mix.
Toss in the mint leaves.
Slip into your flip flops, turn on a little reggae music and enjoy.
Vegan
