Fruit Salad in a Pineapple Boat

Summer is finally here and stores are full of colorful, seasonal and tropical fruits. I always liked pineapple, it’s such a healthy and gorgeous fruit and of course, delicious. When I used to buy peeled pineapple, my kids were not eager to eat it. Maybe it looked boring, a yellow fruit in a plastic container. I noticed that since I started bringing home whole pineapples, the response has been completely different, and who wouldn’t want to eat this exotic beauty? The fruit is juicy, flavorful and very tasty! Delicious on its own and in a fruit salad. So, if you want to make sure your family gets all the goodness from different fruits or you want to impress your guests with an original and gorgeous dessert, try this fruit salad in a pineapple boat. The beauty of it is that it's very easy and quick to make and the ingredients are flexible, you can use your favorite seasonal fruits and berries: pears, apples, bananas, mangoes, peaches, grapes, raspberries, strawberries, oranges and kiwis. You can’t go wrong! Drizzle it with orange, pineapple or lemon juice or serve it with a yogurt, whipped cream or an ice cream for the ultimate fancy dessert! Of course, the fruit salad can be served in a bowl, but it is much more fun to present it in a pineapple boat. Both children and adults alike will love this idea: a delicious fruit salad with a sweet sauce in a gorgeous pineapple boat!

Ingredients

1 whole pineapple
4 strawberries, washed and dried
1 banana, peeled
2 kiwi, peeled
½ cup grapes, washed and dried
1 cup whipped cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. powdered sugar

Directions

Rinse and dry pineapple. Cut the pineapple lengthwise into two halves. 
With the knife, remove the pineapple flesh, leaving about 1/3-in. shell.

Chop the fruits and place them in a bowl. 

In a separate bow with electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form.
Add a couple of spoons to the fruit salad and mix gently. 
Place the salad in pineapple shells and top with the remaining whip cream. 
If you decide to omit the whip cream and go with the lighter sauce, you can use a yogurt or a freshly squeezed orange, pineapple and lemon juice.