Oh-So-Easy Fruit Salad With a Crunch

The perfect accompaniment to a laid-back crock-pot or barbecue grill meal--loaded with fruit, sweet crunchy nuts, a hint of maple, and the freshness of lemon! *Created for RSC #10*

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 5-7
• Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1  cup pecan halves
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1  apple, cored, diced
• 1  orange, peeled, chopped
• 1  cup fresh pineapple chunk, bite-size
• 1  large banana, sliced
• 1  cup golden raisin
• 1⁄2 lemon, zest of
• 1⁄8 cup maple syrup

Directions

1. In a large serving bowl, add fruit in order given.
2. Sprinkle lemon zest over fruit; stir all.
3. Drizzle syrup over everything, stir again.
4. Serve!
5. How easy was THAT?.
6. VARIATIONS: Figure one fruit per serving (5 fruits = five servings), so try some others--mango or peach chunks, pitted sweet cherries, hulled strawberries, grapes, ripe raspberries or blueberries---do NOT add too many different fruits or the flavors sort of turn to an indefinable "mush"---double up instead.
7. SUBSTITUTIONS: Honey=syrup; orange zest=lemon.
8. IDEA: try it warmed up in the microwave OR serve warm over puff pancakes or waffles.