Low-Cal Strawberry Banana Salad

granny26's Note:

This is a low calorie, diabetic friendly, chilled fruit dessert salad. I found this recipe in an old Rockingham County Extension Homemakers Cookbook. I needed some low fat, low cal, desserts I can have with having Diabetes. I didn't want to give up my desserts, so trying to find recipes that work or adapt them to work for me is a challenge, but this one is great! I made it this afternoon and we had it tonight and it is now my new favorite dessert! Prep time does not include the final hours of chilling.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 50 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 4.0 cups

• 1 (3 ounce) box sugar-free strawberry gelatin or 1 (3 ounce) box sugar-free strawberry banana flavor gelatin
• 1 cup crushed pineapple , in it's own juice
• 1 (8 ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) carton whipped topping (fat-free)
• 2 ripe bananas , sliced and tossed with diluted lemon juice
• ½ cup of chopped pecans (optional) or ½ cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Put pineapple, juice and all, into a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Take off stove and stir in the dry gelatin mix.
4. Put this mixture into a larger bowl and when cooled somewhat, place into.
5. the fridge for 40 minutes or longer. Do not allow it to jell completely.
6. Drain the bananas and fold into the gelatin.
7. Then add the nuts (if desired), cottage cheese, and the whip topping. Fold.
8. all these ingredients together until throughly mixed.
9. Cover, and return to the fridge for several hours.