And by tropical, we mean coconut. There's no question, the more fruit you eat, the healthier you probably are! But fruit need not be boring! In fact, you can take a tropical trip with something that's as simple as a salad. Patricia Green, who co-authored the book Grain Power stopped by Tonia's Kitchen with her Toasted Coconut Fruit Salad. She starts with 2 cups of Quinoa, along with seasonal fruit. Add a generous amount of toasted coconut and toss with a mixture of pineapple and lime juices. It's a tropical treat that won't leave you worried about getting into a swimsuit! For more details, visit Patricia's website www.patriciaandcarolyn.com
- 1 1/3 cup water
- 2/3 cup quinoa seeds
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup unsweetened, dried coconut
- 3 ripe kiwis, peeled, quartered and each quarter cut into thirds
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 1 can (14 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained, 1/3 cup pineapple juice reserved
- 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)
Directions
Combine the water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook with the cover on for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, with the cover off, to cool completely.
Preheat a sauté pan on medium heat. Add coconut. Stir constantly until it turns a golden color and is fragrant (about 1 to 3 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, toss the quinoa, kiwis, strawberries and pineapple with the reserved pineapple juice and lime juice. Sprinkle with coconut just prior to serving.
