Fiesta Fruit Salad
Quintessentially pure, simple, and radiant, fruit salads always have flourish. There are no bounds when it comes to variety—evolving seasons deliver their own unique, beguiling bounties. Luscious and effortlessly gorgeous, no matter how we choose to combine and arrange. Here, cool cucumber and crisp jicama offer pleasant contrast while melding beautifully with bright, juicy, tropical fruits lifted with a touch of fresh mint.
This salad was an effort to semi-replicate a tasty snack I had in the Capital One Lounge at the airport on our way to The Reykjavik Open (for F to compete) in April. I was hungry, thirsty, andrestlessly impatient as I often am while traveling, particularly when it comes to the back-to-back transitions in airports. We’d been offered a super deal to sign on for a Capital One Venture X card, one small but fun perk being the new Lounge space at DIA, and boy did it deliver. Straight on arrival, the Lounge felt like the height of luxury. Granted, it doesn’t take much to please us, but we weren’t alone in our near giddiness. After that trip, the word was out, and Capital One had to tighten up the criteria and processes for entry. So it was that our first visit would be the final one, but good that we got in once.
Parceled into the luxury of The Lounge was a refreshing fruit salad labeled “Latin Fruit Cup”, and I sure lingered over it appreciatively! Normally I read nutrition labels before eating or purchasing, but travel days occupy liminal spaces that blur in time so much all routines and rules are out the window. Still, I was disappointed when I checked to see all the added sugar. Really, does fruit ever need added sugar? I decided I would have to make my own variation without it—which would mean foregoing the guave puree, since the only way I’d get it would be sugar-laden. And the guava…just because, not available here.
The one fruit missing from this dish in my mind is fresh papaya, so even though I didn’t include it in the recipe/list, I highly recommend adding it in! Pull back on the fresh fruit juice if you like, use chili lime seasoning instead of chili powder—tailor to taste! That’s what summer is about.
Lately I’ve been feeling like Sad and Anxious is becoming my normal state—and reflecting on that makes me, well, more sad and anxious. I feel clogged, stagnant, hollow, sorrowful, worried, angry and fearful around the state our country is in right now. I don’t want to tune out, though, or take a break from updates. I feel an urgency to be as informed and aware as I can be. What I need to lean into, though, are the tricks and tips that work for me in managing awarenessand preventing nervous system overload.
What’s working right now is identifying day-to-day where and how I can show up and stand up. This needs to go hand-in-hand, though, with leaning into the little things that uplift and bring joy. Because sitting in all the heaviness all the time is just not tenable.
Some days the joys are as simple as smiles from a stranger, unexpected kindnesses, or flopping into a comfy seat in the Capital One Lounge with backpacks spread out messily at our feet. Some days it’s the likes of jicama and cucumber mixing up the definition of fruit salad. Somehow the jicama makes the colors of the other fruits pop all the more, and I love this. It’s so very imporant we create and celebrate a colorful world in all the ways we can. xo
It's a party in a pineapple!
Fiesta Fruit Salad
Cool cucumber and crisp jicama lend contrast while harmoniously melding with bright, fresh fruits in this colorful, all natural-delight.
Ingredients
- 1/2 of 1 medium pineapple, halved lengthwise
- 1 Cup watermelon, cut into small chunks
- 1 mango, peeled, seed removed, cut into small chunks
- 1/2 of 1 English cucumber, cut into small chunks
- 1 Cup jicama, peeled and cut into small chunks
- Juice of 1 lime
- Juice of 1/2 of 1 orange
- 1 Teaspoon chili powder, more to taste
- 1/3 Cup chopped fresh mint, or to taste (more for garnish)
Instructions
- Scoop out the pineapple half and cut the fruit into small chunks similarly sized to the other ingredients. Transfer the pineapple with juice to a serving bowl, reserving the pineapple shell.
- Add the remaining fruit to the bowl and squeeze the orange and lime juices on top.
- Sprinkle with the chili and mint and toss or stir to incorporate and evenly mix the ingredients. Serve in the bowl or spoon into hollowed out pineapple (as much as fits).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
84Fat
0 gSat. Fat
0 gCarbs
21 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
18 gSugar
15 gProtein
1 gSodium
9 mgCholesterol
0 mg