Summer is a good time for more than sipping margaritas by the pool and sleeping in until noon. Summer is a great time to start eating more fruit and try to make up for the outrageous amount of pizza and fries that you drunkenly devoured during the school year. Trust me, your body needs this.
Not only do pineapples taste like a gift from god, but they’re crazy good for you, too. Beneath their spiky exterior and verdant mohawk, pineapples are full of vitamin C, fiber, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin b1 and a ton of other beneficial vitamins and minerals that your body needs. It has also been known to aid in the prevention of diabetes and certain cancers, and to help control asthma and blood pressure levels.
Pineapples can do all of these great things for your body AND they provide shelter for a loveable, patty flipping, sponge. Pretty cool, huh? Here are some seriously tempting recipes to kick off your pineapple obsession this summer.
1. Sesame Ginger Chicken in a Pineapple
Who says fruit can’t be for dinner? This sesame ginger chicken recipe is a serious game-changer.
2. BBQ Chicken Pineapple Grilled Cheese
If you’re a fan of Hawaiian pizza, you better check out this recipe for BBQ chicken pineapple grilled cheese.
3. Spicy Jalapeño Margarita in a Pineapple
Instead of making your margs with a #basic mix, why not use some fresh pineapple? If you’re going to be drinking, you might as well throw some fresh fruit into the mix and give your liver a little help. Try out this recipe for a spicy jalapeño and pineapple margarita; you will not be disappointed.
4. Cover it in Chocolate
Photo by Kelly Redfield
It is a scientific fact that EVERYTHING tastes better when it’s dipped in chocolate. This still counts as healthy, right?
5. Pineapple Upside Down Cake (in a waffle iron)
This is the perfect cooking hack for the busy college student with a major sweet-tooth. No one has time to sit around and wait for a cake to bake, let alone put together a complex, yet delicious, pineapple upside down cake. Learning how to cook a pineapple upside down cake in a waffle iron is definitely a skill you will need in the future.
6. Grilled Pineapple S’mores
I really wish I knew about these at my Girl Scouts campfires. Check out the recipe and bring some sweet flare to your summer bonfires.
7. Dole Whip
If pineapple Dole Whip didn’t have the prominent place in your childhood that it should have, now is the time to make up for it.
8. Blend Them Into an Auga Fresca
You’re probably wondering what the heck an auga fresca is, but don’t be turned away by the fancy name. An auga fresca is a light and refreshing drink make from fruit, water and sugar. This pineapple-basil auga fresca is perfect for your summer afternoons.
9. Pineapple Salad
Perfect for cookouts, gatherings or just a snack. This recipe for pineapple salad is definitely worth a try.
10. Straight Up
While these recipes are both enticing and delicious, nothing beats pineapple in its natural state.