Fabulous Fruit Salad with a Secret Sauce: Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad Dressing

I grew up in a family where fruit salad meant canned fruit cocktail buried under a gooey sauce composed of marshmallow whip mixed with sour cream and cream cheese. It probably contained a higher percentage of sugar than of fruit -- but as children, we adored that concoction.

As an adult, however, I know that sugar may provide a momentary energy high - but the subsequent crash (and extra calories) is not very tasty. To satisfy my desire for sweets with my determination to eat more fruit, I've begun experimenting with healthier versions of Grandma's marshmallow fruit salad.

One of my more successful variations uses Marzetti's new Simply Dressed Pomegranate Dressing tossed with a blend of different varieties of apples, berries, and melon. The dressing is just sweet enough to enhance the flavor of the fruit rather than overwhelm it, making it a marvelous melange. And it definitely qualifies for the "health" aspect: Free of preservatives, trans fat, and corn syrup, it's made with extra virgin olive oil and canola oil, providing you with those good-for-you omega-3.

Ingredients: Marzetti Simply Dressed Pomegranate Dressing, 1 Granny Smith apple, 1 Rome Beauty apple, 1 cup of washed, sliced strawberries, and 1 cup of diced canteloupe or honeydew, 1/4 cup sliced almonds.

Directions: Peel, core, and slice apples, then mix together with other fruits in a large salad bowl. Toss with Marzetti salad dressing. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top. Refrigerate until serving time. Serves 4 to 6 people for a light dessert at lunch or dinner.

I also like to make a classic cheese and apple combination into a salad with Marzetti Simply Dressed Blue Cheese dressing. The tangy zest of blue cheese supports the crisp sweetness of the apples perfectly.

Ingredients: Marzetti Simply Dressed Blue Cheese Dressing, 2 Cameo or Pink Lady apple (if neither is available, substitute Red Delicious), 2 Pippin apples, 1 McIntosh apple, green leaf lettuce slices.

Directions: Arrange green leaf lettuce slices over a large platter. Peel, core, and slice apples and arrange on the platter around a small bowl of blue cheese salad dressing. Provide toothpicks and invite guests to "dunk" the apple slices into the blue cheese dressing. If preferred, prepare individual plates. Serves 3 to 5 people, depending whether served as an appetizer or as part of a large buffet table.

I received this product for free and I was compensated for the article.