Cubed Tropical Fruit Salad with Nectar of the Goddess Dressing
Raw Vegan and Gluten-Free
My niece and I had a lot of Raw Fusion food projects during her summer visit, one of them was t replicate the “rubic cube fruit stack” (see photo below that has been on Facebook). Our goal was to make it vegan and add some variety in the colors. The fruits that we chose were Watermelon, Kiwi, Papaya, Pineapple and for the white, some lovely Jicama root.
Mexican Potato
Jicama is highly favored in Latin America, specifically in Mexico, where it is called the “Mexican potato.” I have never seen or eaten it heated or cooked. It has a crunchy, sweet texture and is one of my favorite items to keep shredded along with beets, carrots and cabbage for salads and wraps. You need to peel the brown fibrous layer. Unfortunately it is not easy to find these days; some of our local markets that had been carrying it due to special requests had discontinued as it does not stay fresh very long. Within a week it starts to go soft and even develops mold. But if you can find some and use it up in a timely manner, it’s a real treat.
Plan B
Well, it was only about 5 minutes into this project that Ciera and I discovered that we were never going to get the precision squares that would be needed to hold this stack together, so we went to Plan B, deciding to turn it into an appetizing tropical fruit salad. I quickly put a sauce together that I had made in the past for one of my Raw Food dinners.
Blood orange juice is the only kind that I buy prepared in the grocery store because most juices are devoid of nutrients and very acidic by the time they hit the grocery store shelves. Noble is a good brand. If I can find fresh blood oranges — very seasonal — all the better. The exotic taste and high level of antioxidants (although maybe not so present in the refrigerated variety) makes this one of my favorite “go-to” stock items. Orange blossom water or extract is another exotic pantry staple that you can find in Middle Eastern or Indian markets.
Nectar of the Goddesses Dressing
Ingredients:
1/2 cup blood orange juice
1-2 tsp. orange blossom water
Juice from one lime
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 TB. raw honey
Blend all of these ingredients in a food processor bowl or blender. Chill fruits and dressing for about an hour before serving for a more enhanced flavor. You can either drizzle over the individual salad bowls or plates or serve in a portion cup on the side.
Cheers!
When my niece tried this, she said “If there was truly a nectar of the goddesses, this would be it!” The taste is worthy of the Olympians so I urge you to try this fat-free, antioxidant and phyto-chemical rich dish as a breakfast, snack or dessert.
If you liked this raw, vegan, tropical fruit salad, you may enjoy my Rosemary Infused Roasted Fruits with Sweet Lime Creme.
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