Layered Christmas Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

For dressing:

1½ c. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

3 Tbsp. white grape juice (100% juice)

For green layer:

2 c. seedless green grapes, halved horizontally

1½ c. diced Granny Smith (with skin)

For red layer:

1 c. seedless red grapes, halved horizontally

1 c. diced Honeycrisp or Gala apples

3/4 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. pomegranate arils

To top:

3/4 c. granola

1/2 c. roasted, unsalted (or lightly salted) pistachios

1/4 c. pomegranate arils

1 star fruit, sliced to make decorative stars

Preparation:

Ready a clear glass serving bowl or trifle dish in which you can layer the fruit salad and serve. (You can use any type of serving bowl, but clear glass is best for showing off the layers.) Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together yogurt and juice to make dressing. In a second medium mixing bowl, combine green grapes and diced Granny Smith apples. Use some of the green apple and grape pieces to line the sides of the clear serving bowl or trifle dish so a layer of green can be seen. Stir a 1/4 cup of yogurt dressing into the mixing bowl with the remaining green apples and grapes, then spoon green fruit/yogurt mixture evenly into the bottom of the serving bowl. In a third medium mixing bowl, combine red grapes, diced Honeycrisp apples, dried cranberries, and 1/2 cup pomegranate arils. As with previous layer, add pieces of red fruit to the serving bowl to line the sides and show a layer of red. Then stir 1/4 cup of the yogurt dressing into the mixing bowl of (remaining) red fruit. Spoon this yogurt/red fruit mixture evenly into serving bowl, on top of green fruit layer. Evenly spread remaining dressing on top of red layer, pushing it close – but not all the way – to the outer edge/glass. Combine granola and pistachios and sprinkle on top of the dressing layer. Sprinkle a few pomegranate arils across the top, then pile the remaining arils in the center of the fruit salad. Place slices of star fruit on top of the salad to decorate. (Or cut slices of pineapple into stars, if you’d prefer.)

**Tip for making ahead: fruit salad can be prepared and completely assemble -- EXCEPT for the topping layer with granola and pistachios -- a few hours ahead or the night before serving. So granola doesn’t get soggy, hold off on sprinkling granola and pistachio mixture over fruit salad and adding final pomegranate arils and stars until close to serving time.