Breakfast #39: Summer Fruit Salad

I’ll be off to our summer trip in a bit…our first trip (well, first requiring a plane ride) as a family. We’ll be going to Iloilo, a province to the south of us where I have some family. From there we’ll be taking a small boat to the island of Guimaras where we will do our best efforts to “get back to nature” with the help of a private cove, tents for sleeping, and nights-only electricity. These tired city folk are very excited at the prospect of sitting amongst the famed triumvirate of tropical life – sun, sea, and sand. But that’s not the only thing we are looking forward to...Guimaras is famed for having the best mangoes in the country, in a country that defiantly claims to have the best mangoes in the world. Paradise here we come!

We will be there for about a week so I thought I’d leave you another summer breakfast before I go. And because they are just so in their prime now, and because I will soon be in the (is)land of the best of them, it’s a breakfast that (once again) includes mangoes. I hope you don’t mind.

Summer Fruit Salad

• 1 ripe mango
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (this is from about 3 spears, torn into chunks, juices saved)
• 1 banana
• A scant 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped (this will yield a scant tablespoon)

- Slice the banana in a bowl.
- Cut as much of the meaty cheeks off the mango. Score the flesh in a crisscross pattern. Scoop the flesh out directly over the bowl so all the juice drips into it.
- Toss in the pineapple with any juice that gathered while tearing.
- Add the mint and toss gently so as not to mush the fruit.
- Chill for about 30 minutes.
- Serves 2.

This is perfect to have during summer mornings, when you really want something cool, light, and brightly flavored to start your day. I used my own summer fruits here so feel free to substitute with your own. I love mint in a fruit salad and feel that it adds a lovely refreshing note. I don’t add any sweeteners to this because the fruit in itself is sweet enough. You can serve this as is or with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

I’d better go now and make sure our first aid kit is in order and mosquito repellants packed. Travelling with a little one is a whole different circus. Little C’s bag is bigger than any of ours!

See you when I get back and Happy Easter! :)