Fresh Fruit Salsa Recipe—A Healthy Fruit Side Dish

Fruit salsa is a fun treat kids and adults alike will enjoy while benefiting from a rainbow of colors and nutrients.

Usually salsa is correlated with being served at a Mexican-style meal as a spicy, chunky, tomato-based sauce blended with various veggies and served with tortilla chips. Fruit salsa is a fun spin on the idea, but instead of being made out of vegetables, it’s a colorful assortment of diced mixed fruit that makes a healthy sweet treat served with cinnamon sugar tortilla or pita chips. This dish is not only a people-pleaser, it's also a smart way to add vibrant fruits to any meal or party (Mexican-style or not).

Eat More Fruits For Better Health

It’s been proven time and time again that the phytochemicals and nutrients found in plant foods, like whole fruit, improve health and can even prevent cancer and other diseases. However, finding creative ways to serve healthy fresh fruit isn’t always easy without somehow becoming like the same boring apple for lunch every day. Making healthy, homemade versions of fruit salads, smoothies, and other fruit side dishes add a variety of color and flavor to any meal that will boost anyone's intake of antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Colors for Fruit Salsa

The great thing about fruit salsa is that it can be experimented with and made as many different ways as there are fruits to eat. Numerous versions can arise depending on preference, what's in season, or what's immediately on-hand. The color pigments themselves found in fruits and vegetables are phytochemicals found in that are good for the body, so incorporating all the colors of the rainbow will maximize nutrition of this delicious side dish, as well as texture and taste.

Here are some fruits from each color group to look for that work great for fruit salsa:

* Red—strawberries, raspberries, cherries, pomegranate
* Orange and Yellow—mandarin oranges, peaches, nectarines, mangos, pineapple
* Green—kiwi, pears, green grapes, lime
* Blue and Purple—purple grapes, blueberries, blackberries, plums

Fruit Salsa Recipe

Here’s an example of a basic fruit salsa recipe:

Dice up and mix together in a medium-sized glass bowl:

* two cups fresh strawberries
* one peeled mango
* a half cup fresh or canned crushed pineapple
* three peeled kiwifruit
* one cup blueberries

Add some extra sweetness, if desired:

* a few teaspoons of lime or lemon juice with a touch of honey or
* a few teaspoons of fruit preserves, jam, or jelly or
* a teaspoon or two of 100% juice concentrate

Refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors blend

Serve with store-bought cinnamon sugar pita chips or homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chips. For added fiber, use whole wheat tortilla chips.

First published Aug 4, 2010 Natalie Dzado

Source:

Produce For Better Health Foundation, "Eat Your Colors, Get Your Phytochemicals", Accessed August 4, 2010.