Jungle Fruit Salad
Living in the Caribbean, we are extremely lucky to have an abundance of tropical fruits growing all over the land. Throughout the different seasons of the year, there are more than twenty varieties of tropical fruits including passion fruits, mangos, bananas, coconuts, pineapples, limes, oranges, mandarins, papayas, ciricotes, nance, mameys, zapotes, dragonfruits, and more. Over the years, moments have arisen when I felt I wanted some element of interest to add to my staple snack fruit bowls, and at some point, epiphany struck. It may be a little generous to call this a "recipe" as there is no cooking involved whatsoever, but I couldn't resist sharing it with the world in case others out there might enjoy it too. Whether you're looking for a colorful new breakfast option, post-yoga nutrition, or just to satisfy a case of munchies, try my jungle fruit salad and be revived.
To begin, you will just need some fruits, whatever is available to you where you live, in season, and tasty to you. I would recommend 2-4 different types of fruit if possible, this way you consume a variety of vitamins and nutrients but don't scare your taste buds with too much all at once. Chop the fruits how you like them and add them all together in a bowl.
Now you have a fruit salad, and all that is left to do is make it jungle-style.
Next, we'll reach for our favorite anti-inflammatory super-root, TURMERIC. It's fairly common in household spice racks but many people aren't sure how to integrate it into their diet and turn to capsules or teas which are also great options. For our jungle fruit salad, you will just sprinkle a bit of turmeric on your prepared fruits. As is common in my "recipes”', the quantity of turmeric that you use is really up to your own taste.
Finally, to tie it all together and add an extra kick of vitamin C, squeeze the juice of half of a lime over the fruits and turmeric, and mix it all together. The fruit salad will take on the color of the turmeric as the lime juice blends with it.
OPTIONAL:
If you have access to fresh herbs, you can also add a few thinly chopped leaves to your fruit salad for extra nutrients, flavor, and texture. I recommend peppermint, spearmint, stevia, or basil.
And voila! You've mastered the jungle fruit salad. To be transparent, when I've prepared this in the past we have had friends on the farm tell me it's a bit "much" for them. The turmeric and lime can be a bit explosive together and they are flavors that certain palettes are not used to consuming so directly. As I said, the measurements for these two ingredients are entirely up to you and your own taste, so play around with it, follow your heart (& stomach!) and you won't go wrong. Turmeric is famous for its anti-inflammatory properties so if that is something you need in your diet and life, try this fruit salad and try to integrate a bit of turmeric into other recipes you prepare. Cooking and eating, like all of life, are so much experimentation and discovery. I hope you enjoy this "recipe", find your perfect turmeric-lime ratio, and more than anything take delight in giving your body what it needs to keep thriving.
All love,
LEX
