Fabulous Fruit Salads

As the weather warms up, it's time for cool fruit salads. You can use just about any kind of fruit to make fruit salad. I love berries and melons, but any fruit will do.

Ingredients:

• 1 quart fresh strawberries (hulled and halved)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 3 kiwis (peeled and sliced)
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine fruit in large bowl.

Add sugar and lemon juice.

Gently toss.

Cover and chill 2 hours.

Serve with cottage cheese.

Serves eight.

This Tuna Apple Salad is more than just a side salad - it's a summer lunchtime meal. Tuna is a great source of lean protein, vitamins and minerals. Tuna and other fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 can help lower blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. In addition, some research has also shown omega-3 has other health benefits -- protecting against certain types of cancer, assisting to fight depression and other psychological disorders, helping ease the pain of arthritis and reducing the complications from asthma.

Ingredients:

• 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna
• 3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup walnuts (chopped)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 large apples (chopped fine)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Cover and chill two hours.

Serve over lettuce leaves or in a pita pocket.

Serves four.

The following recipe is for Melon Jell-O Parfaits. It's not really a salad, but it's definitely a delicious side order (or dessert) in warm weather. You can substitute any type of melon in the recipe. I prefer watermelon and cantaloupe, but you can choose honeydew, Crenshaw or another exotic melon.

Ingredients:

• 2 (6 ounce) packages watermelon Jell-O
• 3 cups hot water
• 2 cups watermelon (cubed)
• 2 cups cantalope (cubed)
• 1 (16 ounce) can crushed pineapple (drained)
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 8 ounces Cool Whip
• 1/2 cup walnuts (chopped fine)

In a bowl, dissolve Jell-O in hot water.

Chill 30 minutes until slightly set.

Add watermelon, cantelope and pineapple to Jell-O.

Chill 4 hours, until set firm.

Beat cream cheese, milk and sugar until smooth.

Fold cream cheese mixture into Cool Whip.

Spoon Jell-O into bottom of parfait glass (or other tall glass) filling it one third of the way up.

Add a layer of cream mixture and then another layer of Jell-O.

Top off with dollop of cream mixture and sprinkle with walnuts.