Tropical Fruit Salad with Vanilla-Scented Yogurt Sauce

That title is a mouthful. Try saying it three times fast!

This is the simple breakfast that I made yesterday. The fruit is based on what I had in the house at the time, so feel free to use whatever you have on-hand. This makes approximately 2 servings (or one big serving).

Tropical Fruit Salad with Vanilla-Scented Yogurt Sauce

2 tbsp. plain soy yogurt
1 inch vanilla bean
1 1/2 tsp. agave nectar (or liquid sweetener of choice)
1 mango
1 tangelo
1/4 pineapple
1 apple
2 tbsp. lime juice

In a small bowl, mix the soy yogurt with the agave nectar. Cut 1 inch off a vanilla bean and slice it open. Use a spoon to scrape the sticky seeds out of the bean, and then mash the bean pod into the yogurt to get more out. Leave the pod in the yogurt while you prepare the fruit–more vanilla flavor will soak into the sauce.

Peel and cut all fruit into bite-sized pieces. Toss with lime juice. Serve with yogurt topping spooned over the top.

You could, of course, use vanilla-flavored yogurt or vanilla extract instead of the vanilla bean, but I have to tell you that it just won’t taste as good. The vanilla bean gives a complexity and delicacy of flavor to the sauce that extract just doesn’t have. And besides, those little vanilla seeds look so cute!

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free