strawberry citrus fruit salad with maple, mint and lime

May is filled celebrations!  A month of graduation parties, showers and Mother’s day!  Serve this beautiful Strawberry Citrus Fruit Salad with Maple, Mint and Lime for a healthy and sweet treat at your next event!

Strawberry Citrus Fruit Salad with Maple, Mint and Lime ~vegan, gluten free~

I dished these up individually (because I thought they looked pretty that way!), but serve in a large bowl if preferred. I love grapefruit, but some find it a bit too tangy.  That’s why I made a quick mix of pure maple syrup and lime juice to off set the bitterness.

 Sliced citrus holds up really well in the refrigerator.  You can make this salad to enjoy with breakfast or as a snack for a few days!  Try mixing in pecans or walnuts for protein!

Strawberry Citrus Fruit Salad with Maple, Mint and Lime ~vegan, gluten free~

strawberry citrus fruit salad
 
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Makes 6 individual 1 cup servings or 1 medium bowl
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into segments
  • 2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments
  • 1 cup strawberries, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • fresh mint
Instructions
  1. Layer fruit in a medium bowl or individual serving cups. Whisk together lime juice and maple syrup, evenly pour on top of fruit salad. Garnish with fresh mint, enjoy!

Strawberry Citrus Fruit Salad with Maple, Mint and Lime ~vegan, gluten free~

Grapefruit’s amazing healing power and health benefits fly under the radar in my opinion.  They have been studied for a long time and  have been proven to lower cholesterol, normalize hematocrit levels, protect against certain cancers and rid the body of excess estrogen…that’s a lot of work for one type of fruit!

Beware, certain medications negatively interact with the powerful compounds found in grapefruit.

Check here for more info.

Strawberry Citrus Fruit Salad with Maple, Mint and Lime ~vegan, gluten free~

hearts of palm and tropical fruit salad

Costa Rican inspired Hearts of Palm and Tropical Fruit Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Hearts of Palm and Tropical Fruit Salad with Balsamic Dressing

After 12 glorious days in the hot sun we are back to the arctic tundra.  We are so lucky to have escaped for a little while to Playa Negra, Costa Rica.  Our days were spent swimming, soaking up the sun, building sand castles, watching Shaye surf, searching for shells and straight up relaxing!    We stuffed our faces with the best fresh fruit, avocado tostones, smoothies, and rice and beans you can imagine, and this salad…

Hearts of Palm and Tropical Fruit Salad with Balsamic Dressing

A mix of greens, mango, pineapple, corn, red onions, avocado, hearts of palm and cucumber drizzled with a balsamic dressing!

If you are snowed in like we are, try this salad to brighten your day!

hearts of palm and tropical fruit salad
 
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Makes 3 salads. Nutrition facts calculated using 1.5 tablespoon of balsamic dressing per salad.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 3
Ingredients
  • 1 cup mango, peeled and cubed (1 small mango)
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
  • ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup organic corn (fresh or frozen)
  • ⅓ cup cucumber, sliced
  • 1 small jar hearts of palm (about 3-4), chopped
  • ½ avocado, sliced
  • 4 large handfuls of mixed greens
  • For Balsamic Dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. For Balsamic Dressing:
  2. Whisk all ingredients together or blend in a food processor.
  3. For Salads:
  4. Mix all ingredients together, drizzle with desired amount of dressing and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 300 Fat: 19 Carbohydrates: 31 Sugar: 16 Fiber: 8 Protein: 4

Hearts of Palm and Tropical Fruit Salad with Balsamic Dressing

 Here are a few clips from our trip :)

We stayed at Hotel Playa Negra, which I highly recommend!  You get to stay in little palm covered cabinas right on the beach and listen to the swaying bamboo as you fall asleep at night.  Close by is a sea turtle sanctuary, where we were able to see sea turtles hatch in protection.  The weather is hot, hot, hot, but that was just what we needed to thaw out!

Hearts of Palm and Tropical Fruit Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Hearts of Palm and Tropical Fruit Salad with Balsamic Dressing

…and one of the best parts of the trip was that I didn’t need to wear maternity jeans!!!

quinoa hemp seed tabbouleh

 Quinoa Hemp Seed Tabbouleh is a protein packed take on the Middle Eastern Classic.  The addition of hemp seeds upgrade this dish to power salad status!

Quinoa Hemp Seed Tabbouleh ~vegan, gluten free~

I can’t talk enough about my love for hemp seeds!  In our house we add them to just about everything…avocado toast, salads, smoothies, peanut butter sandwiches, yogurt, chia seed pudding, pasta, oatmeal, soups, you name it!  They have a nutty flavor and add a slightly crunchy texture.  Noah loves them and eats them straight out of the container!  They are packed with omega 3 fatty acids, iron, magnesium, zinc and are a perfect plant-based protein!

Quinoa Hemp Seed Tabbouleh ~vegan, gluten free~

Typical tabbouleh uses bulgur, but I swapped it with gluten-free quinoa.   This is very versatile recipe, you can add tons of other ingredients to satisfy your taste buds!

Other add-ins include:

Kale

Avocado

Peas

Olives

White Beans

Pumpkin Seeds

Spinach

Roasted Butternut Squash

Scallions

Mint

Quinoa Hemp Seed Tabbouleh ~vegan, gluten free~

quinoa hemp seed tabbouleh
 
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Makes 4 servings
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa (1/2 cup dried, follow instructions on package)
  • ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 cups cucumbers, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ red bell pepper, chopped
  • ¼ cup red onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook quinoa according to directions, allow to cool.
  2. Once quinoa is cooled, add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix until well combined.
  3. Eat right away or place in refrigerator for 1 hour to let flavors blend.
  4. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 250 Fat: 20 Carbohydrates: 17 Sugar: 3 Fiber: 3 Protein: 7

 Quinoa Hemp Seed Tabbouleh ~vegan, gluten free~

Stuff tabbouleh in a pita pocket for an on-the-go lunch or serve as is with a side of hummus, rice crackers and olives!