Pineapple Salsa

Another sweet salsa recipe that heightens the flavor of  a perfectly ripe pineapple! Combine with strawberries, kiwi and fresh cilantro and you've got a hit salsa!

Ingredients:

4-6 kiwi, peeled and diced

7-10 strawberries, cored and diced

1/2 fresh pineapple, small diced

3 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine the above ingredients together in a large bowl and let sit room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving, so the flavors have time to set together. I like to serve this salsa with homemade cinnamon tortilla chips!

White Chia Coconut Pineapple Pudding

Ingredients:

2/3 c. white chia seeds (can use regular)
1 1/3 c. coconut milk, light
1 1/2 c. chopped pineapple
1/4 c. toasted coconut flakes (unsweetened)

Combine the chia seeds and the coconut milk in a small bowl and stir together. Let sit for 5 minutes and stir together again (should be a pudding consistency). Divide into two serving dishes. Top with 1 c. chopped pineapple and approximately 2 Tbs. of toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

(Makes 2 decent sized mason jar servings, 12 WW points per serving. It seems like a LOT of points, but this recipe is VERY filling.)

Banana Colada Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 medium banana, sliced and frozen
12 oz. Coconut Milk, light
1 c. fresh pineapple
1 1/2 c. ice cubes
Chia seeds and sweetened coconut for garnish

Combine the banana, coconut milk, pineapple and ice cubes in a blender together until you reach a fairly smooth consistency. Pour into mugs or serving glasses, and top with chia seeds and coconut.

(Makes 2 smoothies, 6 WW points per smoothie.)

Skinny Hawaiian Cake

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix, (and ingredients listed on box)
20 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
1 box instant sugar free, fat free, vanilla pudding
2 1/2 c. milk, 1%
8 oz. low fat cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip, Lite, thawed
3/4 c. coconut (I used raw, large flakes and toasted them)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cake mix as directed on the box. Bake for the baking time listed on the box for a 9x13 pan. Let cool fully. Evenly spread the pineapple out in an even layer on top of the cooled cake. In a medium size bowl, combine the pudding mix and milk with a whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 5-10 minutes.

In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the pudding and mix until well incorporated. Fold in the Cool Whip and spread evenly on top of the cake. Refrigerate. Meanwhile, toast the coconut in a small pan on medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown.

(Makes 24 servings, 5 WW points per serving.)

Cravin' Craisin Pineapple Bread

Ingredients:

3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 eggs
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. Craisins
1/2 c. sunflower seeds (I used chocolate covered)
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. canola oil
1 can crushed pineapple in juice (20 oz.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the flour, salt and the next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Beat eggs in an electric mixer until foamy. Add in the sugar, oil and vanilla beating until well combined. Stir into the flour mixture with a spatula. Add the pineapple, Craisins and sunflower seeds. Divide into 6 mini bread pans (or I used even smaller to make 12 very small, and 2 mini. Bake mini bread pans for 45 minutes (or 35 for the smaller ones) until the sides are golden and a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let cool fully before storing.

Pineapple Cilantro Quinoa

Ingredients:

4.2 oz. container of Organic, ready to eat Quinoa (picture below)
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1 c. chopped pineapple
1 1/2 - 2 Tbs. pineapple juice
1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Mix all of the above ingredients in a small bowl. This dish is meant to be served at room temperature or cold.

(Makes 2 servings, 2 WW points per serving. If you eat the full recipe, no biggie, it's only 4 WW points!)

Pineapple Turkey "Tacos"

This recipe packs a ton of flavor, and is only 4 ingredients! 

Ingredients:

4 (6 inch) tortilla shells (I used fat free)
2 c. shredded Jennie-O rotisserie turkey (found in the deli section)
1 c. pineapple chunks, cut in half
Cilantro (or you could use lettuce, but cilantro has more flavor)

Heat the turkey in a small frying pan on medium heat, with 1/4 c. of pineapple juice from the pineapple chunks can. When heated through, place about 1/2 c. meat on top of the tortilla shell, topped with pineapple and cilantro. This recipe is so moist and flavorful, that I think it is the only taco recipe so far that I have never put cheese on (and for those that know me well, know that I love my cheese...).

Candy Log Roll

This recipe is adapted from my husband's side of the family. They used to eat this around Christmas growing up, so I thought I would try my take at re-creating it. (Don't mind the mustache's....it was for a mustache themed birthday party!)



Ingredients:

1 large container of green candied cherries, cut in half
1 large container of candied pineapple, cut in half
1 box of chopped dates
1 box of graham crackers, crushed
1 bag of mini marshmallows (I used about 3/4 of a bag)
2 cans, give or take, of sweetened condensed milk
1 large bag of sweetened coconut

Mix the above ingredients together, using just enough of the sweetened condensed milk to hold everything together. If you use too much, the logs will be falling apart and harder to attempt to roll in coconut. Divide the batter into 5-6 portions, depending on how big you want the logs to be. Form into a log shape on top of parchment paper or tinfoil and roll up tightly, twisting the ends to hold the logs together. Place them on a plate and into the refrigerator for a few hours until they are fully set. Slice the logs, as you need them, and serve. Make sure to store these in the refrigerator. They last anywhere from a few weeks up to two months in the fridge. (They are literally pure sugar candy logs). And, like most things, the longer it sits in the refrigerator, the dryer it will be as time goes by.

Mango Coconut Pineapple Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box sugar free classic yellow cake mix
1 c. mango coconut water
1/3 c. applesauce, natural
3 eggs
24 pineapple chunks, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners. Whisk the cake mix, coconut water, applesauce and eggs together. Fill the cupcake tins 1/2 way full. Place 1 pineapple, sliced, in the center of each cupcake tin. Pour more of the batter on top of the pineapple so that the cups are 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20-21 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. I frosted them with homemade diabetic vanilla frosting, that instead of adding milk to, I substituted with pineapple juice so that it tasted like pineapple frosting.

Hawaiian Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

8 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. fat free sour cream
2/3 c. fresh pineapple, finely chopped
1/2 small orange and red pepper, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1/4 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
about 2 c. whole pecans

Cut the top of your pineapple off, and then in half lengthwise. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and sour cream together with a spatula. Add the rest of the ingredients minus the whole pecans, and stir until everything is well incorporated. On your serving platter, shape the cream cheese mixture into a pineapple shape, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until right before you need to serve. Add rows of whole pecans on top to make it resemble a pineapple. To finish, add the cut off pineapple top. Serve with crackers and fruit.

(Makes about 25-30 servings, 1 WW point per serving.)

Hawaiian Carrot Cake with Coconut Frosting

Ingredients:

1 c. chopped canned pineapple, drained
3 large grated carrots
2 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. butter, softened
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. milk, 1%

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non stick cooking spray. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir until mixed together. In an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat for 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until well combined. On low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the milk, then flour, milk, and ending with the flour mixture. Gradually mix in the pineapple and carrots. Divide the batter between two pans and spread out evenly. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the center is fully cooked. Transfer the cakes onto a wire rack and cool fully. Cut each cake in half to make four layers and set aside.

Coconut Frosting:

2 pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. butter, room temerature
1/4 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. sweetened coconut

Beat the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Add about 1/3 of the powdered sugar and beat on low. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to add the sugar until the frosting is the consistency that you want it. Stir in the coconut.
(* I added the coconut on the outside of the frosting, and did not add any to the frosting itself.)

To assemble,

I had one layer of cake, a layer of coconut cream, cake, pineapple filling, cake, coconut cream, and cake. I then frosted the outside with the cream cheese frosting, and added coconut around the frosting. I decorated the cake with Hibiscus gumpaste flowers and sugar leaves. Very rich, but so good!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Drink and celebrating 9,000+ views!

Pour about 4 ounces of pineapple juice into a glass. Add a shot of Smirnoff Cake Vodka, and a shot (or two) of grenadine. Mix together before drinking. This drink tastes just like a slice of pineapple upside down cake!

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 c. pineapple chunks, canned, drained (reserve 2 Tbs. juice), sliced into thin strips
6 Tbs. reduced-calorie margarine, melted, divided
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
12 Maraschino cherries
1 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk, 1%
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using approximately 2 Tbs. of butter, brush the sides of a 12-cup muffin pan with butter. Sprinkle each cup with brown sugar. Place a maraschino cherry in the center, and use 5 slices of pineapple to arrange around the cherry. In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining melted butter and sugar together with a whisk. Add the vanilla eggs, one at a time. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and half of the flour mixture and start to whisk. Add the milk, whisk until combined, and then add the remaining flour. Mix until well incorporated. Divide evenly among the 12 muffin cups. bake for 15 minutes in the oven, let cool for 2 minutes in the pan, then flip upside down and transfer to a serving platter or flat surface to cool fully. (Makes 12 cupcakes, 4 WW points each.)

Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Sauce

Ingredients:
24 large cooked shrimp, tail removed
3/4 c. shredded sweetened coconut
3/4 c. Panko bread crumbs
2 Tbs. flour
1 egg
1 Tbs. Parrot Bay Coconut Rum

For the Sauce:
6 oz. Greek Yogurt, plain
1 c. chopped pineapple
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
3 Tbs. shredded sweetened coconut
2 Tbs. Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
2 Tbs. Splenda sweetener

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a non stick baking sheet with Pam. Stir together the coconut and Panko and set aside. Whisk the egg and Parrot Bay with a fork and set aside. Add flour to a small bowl and also set aside. Dip the shrimp into the flour, shaking off the excess flour. Then dip into the egg, and then the breading mixture. Place the shrimp on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the shrimp over and bake for another 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on your serving plate. Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients together and place in a small bowl on your serving plate! The sauce has a very similar taste to the coconut shrimp sauce at Red Lobster. Delicious! (Serves 8, each serving is 3 shrimp, and 1 Tbs. of the sauce. 3 WW points).

"Goblin Slime" Punch

Ingredients:
1 46oz. pineapple juice
1 12oz. limeade concentrate
1 14oz. jar sweetened condensed milk
24 oz. water
24 oz. sprite

Combine all of the ingredients in a punch bowl. Make sure you stir until the limeade and that it is fully melted and mixed into the punch.

Simple Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
1 large can of pineapple, with the pineapple juice
1/2 watermelon, cubed
1 large bunch of grapes
2 c. blueberries
4 c. sliced strawberries

Gently stir ingredients together and let sit in the fridge for about an hour before stirring. 

Pineapple Chutney

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 tsp. Coriander
4 c. cubed pineapple, chopped
3/4 c. orange juice
3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and bell pepper and saute for about 8 minutes. Add the coriander and stir for about 1 minute. Add the pineapple, orange juice, vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until thick, stirring frequently, for about an hour. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Pistachio Pineapple "Mousse"

Ingredients:
Small packet of Pistachio Pudding mix
2 c. milk
1 (12 oz.) can of crushed Pineapple
1 1/2 c. mini Marshmallows
Whipped Cream for topping

Mix the pudding as directed on package. When it sets, stir in the crushed pineapple and mini marshmallows. Top with the whipped cream. Very easy and very delicious!

A Tropical Dinner

I was in the mood for something tropical, and I had a gorgeous pineapple to use so last night for dinner I made Southwest shrimp, grilled pineapple, and green beans with lime, almonds and caramelized shallots. Recipes to follow...


Southwest Shrimp:

 

30 cocktail shrimp, uncooked with tails still on

Mrs. Dash, Southwest seasoning

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. chopped fresh Parsley

In a small saucepan on medium heat, add the shrimp. Brown nicely on both sides of the shrimp and then add the butter to the pan. Sprinkle about 2 tsp. of the Mrs. Dash on the shrimp and stir. When the shrimp are fully cooked, toss in the parsley and stir just to combine. (I served them in a hollowed out bowl made from the bottom of the pineapple.)

Grilled Pineapple:

 

1 large pineapple

Pam cooking spray

Spray a saucepan with cooking spray. Heat the pan to medium/medium-high heat. Add the pineapple and cook for about 3 minutes on each side so that each side gets golden brown. 

Green Beans with Almond, Shallots and Lime:

 

Small bag of fresh green beans (about 20)

2 large shallots, sliced thin

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 lime

Salt and Pepper

1/4 chopped almonds

Heat a saucepan to medium heat. Add the olive oil and shallots. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring until the shallots are caramelized. Add the green beans and season with salt and pepper. Add the almonds and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring every once in a while. Squeeze the juice from the lime and stir to combine. Serve warm.