It’s been nice knowing ya.Secondly, I realized last week that I rarely get in a good cardio workout. I used to get plenty of exercise by riding my bike all over Norman, Oklahoma. Then I moved to Kansas City, which is full of big hills, skinny lanes and distracted drivers. I don’t even remember the last time my heart was pumping fast and I was panting for air. It’s nice and flat there. I go to plenty of yoga classes, mind you, but I think I’ll give spin class a try.
What’s an area that you could improve? If you, like me, could benefit from more fruit in your life, start adding some fruit to your breakfast, and give this fruit salad a shot. It features ripe summer peaches, strawberries, blueberries and basil, combined with a dash of maple syrup, and some lemon juice and balsamic vinegar for contrast.There you have it! My two unsolicited health resolutions. I couldn’t stop going back for more. This dish is a thousand times tastier than any fruit salad I encountered as a kid, and it’s exploding with those aforementioned vitamins and antioxidants.
I have a couple of confessions for you today. For someone who shares (and consumes) a lot of healthy recipes, I rarely get my four servings per day. Maybe all those enormous green smoothie recipes have skewed my perception of what is “enough” fruit. They’re not very juicy, so don’t get excited. Here’s one: I’m lousy at eating fruit. Although, I was just reminded that an apple counts for two servings and a few large strawberries count as one serving.
As someone who wants to feel well and age gracefully, however, it’s time to up my fruit game.I usually get my sweet fix from a little dark chocolate, and apples seem to make me hungry later. Vitamins and antioxidants are key.
This simple fruit salad recipe features strawberries, peaches and blueberries with a little balsamic vinegar and basil. It’s a delicious, healthy side dish or dessert (for dessert, you can serve it as is or add some whipped cream to make it more decadent). Recipe yields 6 side servings. Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
- 3 medium peaches, thinly sliced (I peeled mine, but if you don’t mind the skin, you can leave it on)
- 6 ounces (1 cup) blueberries
- 1 heaping tablespoon fresh, chopped basil or mint
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- In a medium serving bowl, combine the strawberries, peaches, blueberries and basil. Drizzle the lemon juice, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar on top. Gently toss to combine.
- Serve immediately, or chill for later. This salad is best enjoyed promptly, but will keep well for about 2 days in the refrigerator (pour off excess juices if necessary).
Notes Make it vegan: Be sure to use maple syrup, not honey.
Why buy organic? Strawberries are the worst offenders on the dirty dozen list this year, so please buy organic strawberries if possible. Peaches and blueberries tend to be treated with fertilizers and pesticides as well, so organic is best for those, too.
