Tropical Fruit Salad with Almond Pudding

I wanted a vegan fruit salad with a creamy dressing. This is different from the others I have made before. No chia seeds nor coconut milk were used. No tofu based dressing either was used. No nut cheese or vegan yogurt was used.

Instead I just utilized almond milk and cooked it with cornstarch. I flavored the mixture with vanilla and almond extracts and juice from the canned fruits used. Maple syrup can be added but is optional. The result is a delicious luscious dressing.

If you have not discovered what Dollar Tree store offers it is about time that you do. I bought the canned fruits I used for this recipe there. Only a dollar each. These canned fruits are hard to even find in grocery chains. Papaya mix with passion fruit juice. How exotic is that. And then there are good old mango slices. Yum.

Both canned fruits were bought from Dollar Tree for you guessed it, a dollar each.

Tropical Fruit Salad with Almond Pudding

Almond Pudding

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp cornstarch in two tbsp water or almond milk
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract

Place the milk in a small sauce pan. Heat at medium heat. When you see it beginning to bubble add the cornstarch in water or milk and start whisking vigorously till the mixture boils and thickens.

Take out of the heat and add the maple syrup if using, vanilla and almond extracts. 

Tropical Salad

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1-15 oz can mango slices, drained, saving 2 tbsp juice
• 1-15 oz can papaya mix, drained, saving 2 tbsp juice
• Almond pudding (recipe above)

In a small blender or food processor mix the walnuts and brown sugar till fine. Set aside. 

Arrange the mango and papaya slices in a dish. Add the almond pudding on top and add the fruit juices. Lightly mix. Distribute the walnut brown mixture on top.