Rustic fruit salad with walnuts

As promised this is the recipe for my rustic fruit salad. I looked up the definition of rustic and a few adjectives describing something rustic are: unsophisticated, lacking refinement, elegance and polish. That pretty much sums it up! This salad is very simple, made with very simple everyday fruits and nuts. But man, it is so good!
The simplest of things usually are. It is fresh and crunchy and sweet. I feel incredibly healthy when I eat this. I think I would describe this salad as the antithesis to my Meringue nests with tropical fruits, which although very easy to make, just oozes sophistication.  It is a great side dish, but it is also a great breakfast with yogurt, or even as dessert topped with whipped cream. This is the kind of fruit salad my grandmother in Norway would make. Before our stores were filled with exotic fruits from around the globe all year round. So, in addition to just being plain good, it is also reminding me of my upbringing and heritage. Awww - gives me a lump in my throat! Have a great weekend!

Note! This is just a rough blueprint. Feel free to add or omit to please your taste. This should serve 6.

Rustic (unsophisticated) fruit salad with walnuts
2 large red apples (I like Galas), unpeeled, diced
2 pears (Boscs are nice and sweet), peeled and diced
1/2 lb red grapes, halved
2 oranges, diced
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
A couple of tablespoons fruit juice

Mix all the fruits, except banana, in a bowl. Drizzle with orange, lemon, or pineapple juice to keep fruits from turning brown. Add banana when ready to serve. Give it a stir and sprinkle with walnuts. Garnish if you wish.

Serving Suggestion

For breakfast: Omit the walnuts. Top with yogurt and sprinkle with grenola.

Recipe by Fortheloveofdinner, 2011