Honey-Lime Fruit Salad

Story:

This one is another magazine or advertisement cut-out. They were selling "DOLE" products in the ad. I can tell, because they said to use DOLE products, of course.

I made it for the first time a few years ago, and I remembered it being tasty. So tonight when Ben's co-worker and his family came over for a little Memorial Day cookout, I made it again. It was good, so I thought I'd add it here. (Thanks for coming over, Mike and Megan! Eli is a darling little thing and Gretchen was crying to see Sophie leave!)

Ingredients:

1 can pineapple chunks (drained, reserve 1/4 C of juice)

1 can mandarin oranges (drained)

Bananas, sliced

Strawberries, sliced

Kiwi fruit, sliced

Dressing:

Pineapple juice (1/4 reserved from can)

1/4 t grated lime peel

2 T lime juice

1 T honey

Directions:

Combine all fruit in a bowl.

Prepare dressing and pour over fruit... then just toss gently!

Notes:

I just zested the peel of one lime and squeezed the juice out. One lime is all it took!

Apricot Honey Oatmeal

Story:

I am afflicted. Literally. I currently have a rare skin condition thing going on. It's really a bummer, actually, but it'll be fine... eventually. I hope.

Anyway, I am to stay off of refined sugar. Strictly. I'm allowed honey and fruit, so that's nice. But now I've been left to find more sugar free foods to feed my family and myself. I discovered this oatmeal online at a website called MrBreakfast.com. I LOVE it. Super, super good.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 C water

1/2 C chopped dried apricots*

1/3 C honey

2 C rolled oats

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t salt

Directions:

In a saucepan, bring water, apricots, honey, cinnamon, and salt to a boil.

Stir in oats; return to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes (quick oats=1 minute), or until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

Le stand until desired consistency.

Notes:

*You can use any fruit instead of the apricots.

When I made this the first time, as Ben was scooping it into his bowl, he casually stated: "Apricots are probably my very least favorite fruit." Thanks, Ben. But he liked it. I made it a couple days later with raisins, and he liked that better. Next up, I want to try chopped apples. Yum.

Oh, and even Gretchen liked this. She and I were eating it out of a bowl, cold, for an afternoon snack yesterday, and she loved it.