Firecracker Fruit Salad Sparkles on July 4th

When I lived in Santa Cruz, California, my friends and I often gathered for a potluck Fourth of July celebration. I always volunteered to bring a salad, which tended to be a melange of summer squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, and assorted varieties of lettuce. One year, however, I decided to experiment with a healthy version of my Grandma's traditional fruit salad.

Grandma's recipe consisted of massive amounts of miniature marshmallows, sour cream, canned fruit, and sweetened coconut shreds. Tasty, yes. But healthy and low-calorie? Not exactly. That's where my Firecracker Fruit Salad recipe comes in:

Ingredients:
1. Choose from assorted fresh fruit in season, such as peaches, nectarines, melon, bananas, and apples.
2. 16 ounces of non-fat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt.
3. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ginger.
4. 1/2 cup of sugar-free maple syrup.
5. 1/4 cup of sliced blanched almonds.

Preparation:
Wash fruit thoroughly, cut into chunks, and peel/core as needed. Prepare enough to allow for 1/2 cup fresh fruit for each guest. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, cinnamon, ginger, and maple syrup. Blend thoroughly. Depending on the brand of yogurt, you may need to mix in more maple syrup for a "salad dressing" type of consistency.

Arrange fresh fruit in a serving bowl, and pour yogurt dressing over the fruit. (Note: if you have excess salad dressing, it keeps well for a few days if refrigerated in a covered dish). Sprinkle blanched almonds over fruit salad. Refrigerate until serving time.

Tip: Want to serve this fruit salad for dessert? Serve with vanilla and ginger snaps on the side. If children are in the crowd, add cinnamon graham crackers (and watch the adults help themselves to that treat as well!).