Mixed Fruit & Vegetable Salad ♥ Recipe

Today's vegetable recipe: An unusual and refreshing salad, a bright mix of chopped fruits and vegetables tossed with no more than salt and pepper and a little cinnamon. Low carb. Weight Watchers 1 point. Vegan. No added fat.

So why is it that 'vegetables' are usually served as a side dish and 'fruit' as dessert?

This salad really surprised me. Not only is it pretty -- isn't it pretty?! -- but instead of being a 'savory' salad, as expected, it's a 'sweet' salad, despite having no added sugar. The fruit alone adds so much sweetness to the crunch of the vegetables -- it made for a wonderful light dessert two nights in a row, and I can't wait to make it again.

The salad's texture was best shortly after it was mixed but the flavors melded beautifully after resting a few hours that I'm happy to say that it can be made in advance a few hours or even overnight. You could use any vegetables, I suppose, but the cantaloupe and apple, the cucumber and peppers, all mixed with the citrus, well, they were just perfect, just perfect.

MIXED FRUIT & VEGETABLE SALAD

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes
Makes about 4 cups

1 apple, skin on
1 cup cantaloupe
1/2 an English cucumber, skin on
2 bell peppers (I used 1 green and 1 yellow, red would have added color contrast)

1 orange
Zest and juice of a lime
Fresh basil, cut into ribbons
Cinnamon to taste
Salt & pepper to taste

Cut the apple, cantaloupe, cucumber and peppers into a small neat dice.

Zest the orange, then slice off the skin, cut the flesh into a small neat dice. Stir the orange zest, orange flesh and remaining ingredients into the fruit and vegetable mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with a sprinkle of additional cinnamon and a piece of fresh basil.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Cup: 79Cal; 0g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 10mg Sodium; 20g Carb; 4g Fiber; 15g Sugar; 2g Protein; Weight Watchers 1 point

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from my friend Nupur's blog One Hot Stove. Nupur is home visiting in India and her aunt made this lovely little salad. Thank you, Nupur, thank you, too, to her maushi! When I saw this salad, I just had to make it and I'm so glad that I did!

KITCHEN NOTES
A reader's comment (see below) reminds me to remind others to always wash cantaloupes (and other fruits) very well. It's easy for bacteria to collect on the rough skin and be carried into the flesh by the knife as the melon is cut.

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MORE RECIPES that MIX FRUITS & VEGETABLES
~ Celery & Apple Salad ~
~ Green Smoothies ~
~ Tomato & Cherry Gazpacho ~

~ more recipes that mix fruits with vegetables ~
~ more Weight Watchers recipes ~
~ more low-carb recipes ~

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