Ambrosia Is A Sweet, Colorful Treat BY DANA JACOBI FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

How do you satisfy a sweet tooth without eating sugar? Fruit is the easy answer.

When other kids were dipping chocolate sandwich cookies into glasses of milk, my mother kept me happy without serving foods made with sugar. She put pecan-stuffed dates into my school lunch box and served ambrosia as an after-school snack. This sweet and tart dish can be served as either a salad or dessert. It also has many variations.

My mother’s version was distinctive because she used honey, while most recipes call for sprinkling the fruit with super-fine granulated or confectioners’ sugar. I prefer the latter, sifting it evenly over the fruit, because it does not pull out as much liquid. Using a small amount, plus some vanilla, makes the fruit seem sweeter.

I do follow Mom’s lead in using unsweetened shredded dried coconut. You can, today, find it made without sulfites and even with reduced fat at natural food stores.

In classic literature, ambrosia was the food of Greek gods, eaten to preserve their immortality. In early American society, ambrosia was a popular dessert in the South that combined oranges and coconut, and traditionally served for Christmas dinner. Later, other fruits were included, such as pineapple, bananas, grapes and even berries, but oranges and coconut always remained the base.

This version of ambrosia calls for oranges, strawberries, kiwi and pineapple, making it an especially colorful dish. For the pineapple, I prefer using canned crushed pineapple because it looks pretty and is less expensive than fresh.

Ambrosia has a jewel-like glow. To show it off at its best, assemble it in a glass container – either a large glass bowl (or even a clear pie plate) or individual glass compotes or the kind of footed dishes used for sundaes, mousse or parfaits. Add mint for garnish and, if used as a dessert, serve it with vanilla yogurt for guests to dollop on.

Ambrosia - Makes 4 servings.

• 3 navel oranges, peeled and cut into thin slices
• 4 tsp. confectioners’ sugar
• 9 large strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 kiwifruit, peeled and cut into 7-8 slices
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3-4 drops vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple. drained
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
• 1 6-oz. container low-fat or fat-free vanilla yogurt (optional)

In individual clear glass bowls or a serving dish or pie plate, arrange orange slices to cover bottom. Place the sugar in a small strainer and sprinkle some of it lightly over the oranges.
Cover the orange with the strawberries and sprinkle on some sugar. Add another layer of orange, then one of kiwi. Finish with the remaining strawberries, sprinkling each layer with some sugar.

Combine the orange juice and vanilla in a small container. Drizzle evenly over the top of the fruit. Add a layer of pineapple. Top with the coconut and sprinkle on any remaining sugar.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 12 hours. Using a turkey baster, remove excess juices from bottom of each dish. Garnish with the mint and serve chilled. If desired, stir the yogurt and pass it as a sauce to drizzle over the Ambrosia.

Per serving: 76 calories, less than 1 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 18 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 2 mg. sodium.

"Something Different" is written for the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) by Dana Jacobi, author of The Joy of Soy and recipe creator for AICR's Stopping Cancer Before It Starts.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) offers a Nutrition Hotline online at www.aicr.org or via phone 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, MondayFriday, at 1-800-843-8114. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will respond to your email or call, usually within 3 business days. AICR is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on how the risk of cancer is reduced by healthy food and nutrition, physical activity and weight management. The Institute’s education programs help millions of Americans lower their cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. Over $82 million in funding has been provided. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.

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