Berry Salad in Honey Mascarpone Dressing

With summer upon us, there are a lot of social festivities requiring us to bring a dish. As a host or a guest, we all want to have a fantastic recipe that everyone loves. Usually, it is a bonus if it is healthy and tasty! This Berry Salad in Honey Mascarpone Dressing is a great dish to share -  not only is it delicious, it's waistline friendly too! It is beautifully red and full of fragrant berries with a sweet and delectable dressing. Additionally, this recipe is perfect for celebrating our Color Your Basket campaign and July's color, red!

This salad incorporates many healthy components like berries and non-fat Greek vanilla yogurt. Berries are great because they provide some of the highest amounts of antioxidants. Many people have heard of antioxidants and relate this to being healthy, but are not sure why or how they work. Simply summarized, an antioxidant is a chemical that protects our cells from damage and may play a preventative role for heart disease, cancer and a variety of other conditions. They are found in fruits, vegetables and dietary supplements. The non-fat Greek vanilla yogurt adds a little protein and probiotics to this recipe, but mainly helps balance out the other rich ingredients, keeping this dish lighter and more nutritious. The next time you host an event this summer, be sure to add this to the menu and enjoy in moderately small portions!

Berry Salad in Honey Mascarpone Dressing

Ingredients:

1 lb. strawberries, chopped

6 oz. raspberries

6 oz. blueberries

1 1/2 cups red seedless grapes, halved

Honey Mascarpone

1/2 cup mascarpone (4 oz.), softened

1/4 cup Greek vanilla yogurt (we used nonfat)

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Garnish

Zest from one lemon

Directions

1) Add all of the fruit to a large bowl.

2) Whisk together all of the Honey Mascarpone ingredients until very smooth. Add Honey Mascarpone to fruit and gently fold together until well combined. Add additional sugar for a sweeter taste, or more lemon for a tangier flavor. Best if served within the hour.