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pineapple

Pineapple Mint Smoothie {gf, v}

Need a little smoothie refresher? My Smoothies 101 blog can help.

Key points for me when making a smoothie is to use frozen ingredients whenever possible. It adds that thick chill and avoids using ice, which will ultimately separate and water down a smoothie.

You gotta drink it so make this Pineapple Mint Smoothie to your liking! You might need more pineapple, mint or lime- that’s cool. Blend, taste, adjust.

Then snap a photo and tag me @happyeatshealthy on IG
Happy drinking,
~Monique

Pineapple Mint Smoothie

handful or two of greens (mix this up, spinach, bok choy, even romaine!)
~1 cup coconut water
1/4 of a pineapple, peeled (ideally frozen)
1/4 of a zucchini (can also try cucumber)
2 tbls ripe avocado
juice of 1/2 lime
Handful of mint leaves, pulled from stem
2 tbls collagen powder
Optional: ice (if your fruit isn’t frozen)

Place the coconut water and greens in the blender, blend until the greens are well pulverized. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Enjoy your Pineapple Mint Smoothie immediately or store in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

NOTE: add more coconut water as need to achieve desired conistency. Add ice if the pineapple isn’t frozen.

Pineapple Mojito Mocktail Juice Recipe {gf, v}

Some days call for a light, refreshing, non-alchoholic, fun drink. This Pineapple Mojito is the perfect answer. It delivers on taste and you honestly won’t miss the alcohol.

Have friends that are imbibing? Juice a big batch, just pour theirs with prosecco instead of the club soda. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Need a little juicing refresher? My Juicing 101 blog is for you!
Juice it up, snap a photo and tag @happyeatshealthy on IG!
Happy Summer!
~Monique

Pineapple Mojito Juice Mocktail Recipe

  • 1/2 pineapple, skin removed
  • 1 large handful fresh mint, leaves pulled from stem
  • 2 limes, peel removed
  • handful of romaine lettuce
  • Sparkling Water or prosecco
  • Garnish: sprig of mint or a lime or pineapple slice.

Juice the pineapple, mint, limes and romaine. Fill a glass half full with the juice, add ice and top off with club soda or prosecco. Garnish with mint or lime or pineapple.

Pineapple Gazpacho

This lovely pineapple has been sitting on my counter for days. Staring me down. Saying “What’chu gonna do with me? I’m gettin’ ripe over here!” You know it’s time to get cooking when your ingredients start talking to you.

Grilled pineapple has got to be one of my top 10 favorite things to work with- it’s simply delish by itself. Chopped up in grain salad with mustard vinaigrette is so good. Or try a drenching of homemade caramel sauce…it just kills!

But been there, made all of those.  This time I yearned for something fresh. The late summer sun is beating through the windows and the air conditioning never seems to shut off. That’s when it hit me- gazpacho!

Classically made with tomatoes, gazpacho is a chilled Spanish soup from fresh ingredients. Throw some fruit and vegetables in a blender and your done.
Switch the tomatoes for pineapple boom! Summer explosion.

The soup alone is really nice, but nice guys finish last. Enter a slice of chorizo. Like James Dean (or Fonzie, depending on your age) showing up, everything just became a little cooler. Happy Eats Healthy cool. Chorizo, goat cheese and avocado, it’s like a little appetizer for your soup. Stab a piece of pineapple, pepper and cucumber for the vegan option.

Make this Happy Eats Healthy chilled soup before summer runs out, then sit back and let the wind blow through your hair.

Summer Gazpacho

Pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese and a good source of vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folate, copper and dietary fiber.

Cucumber phytonutrients play a key role in providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

PINEAPPLE CUCUMBER GAZPACHO

2 cups chopped pineapple
1 cup chopped yellow pepper
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup red onion
3 tsp white balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup sesame seeds
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt to taste
Topping options: Chorizo, goat cheese and avocado

Place the pineapple in a blender or food processor, blend on low until the pineapple is all chopped up and you have a relatively thick soup. Use a low speed when blending the soup ingredients to avoid whipping too much air into the soup. Pour into a container and set aside. 

Add all the remaining ingredients to the blender (pepper, cucumber, onion, vinegar, seeds, flakes and salt), blend until you have a thick soup like texture. Add the pineapple soup back in and pulse to combine.

Pour the Pineapple Gazpacho into a glass jar, place in the fridge to rest for at least 2 hours (this helps the flavors meld and develop.)
Serve in small bowls or glasses. Top with a little Spanish chorizo and goat cheese for fun.

Pineapple Red Pepper Salsa

Salsas and sauces are key to turning your dish from bland to wow.  Once you realize how easy it can be, you’ll never need to settle with boring again.

Simple salsas add a scoop of nutrition to any dish, not to mention a glorious taste of freshness.

Don’t over-think it, Chop, toss and your done with this simple Fat and Happy Pineapple Salsa.
Happy Eating,
~Monique

Try this salsa on everything from chips and tacos to burgers and grilled chicken!

Pineapple Red Pepper Salsa

1 cup diced pineapple
2 tbls minced red onion
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, diced
1 tbls chopped parsley (or cilantro)
1-2 tbls minced jalapeno (more or less depending on your heat preference)
juice of 1/2 lime

Add all the ingredients into a bowl and toss. Serve immediately or you can let the flavors meld for a few hours or up to a few days.

Note: Avoid over-tossing your salsa; it will make the salsa become muddy.