Pineapple Coconut Popsicles

My favorite kind of ice cream is pineapple coconut and I wanted to recreate that flavor profile here. In hind sight, I would have used one less banana in this recipe and increased the amount of pineapple to 1 ½ cups. The flavor of these popsicles reminds me so much of my favorite childhood ice cream, that I can’t wait to make them again!

What You Need:

2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup plain yogurt
½ cup pineapple chunks
1/3 cup shredded coconut

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until combined, but not smooth.

Divide the mixture in the popsicle maker. Freeze and enjoy!

Serves 4



Bon Appétit!
Mary

Quinoa Salad with Jalapeno Balsamic Dressing

My girlfriend Kim has a new little baby boy and I wanted to bring her some food that would be a healthy grab and go. This salad is filled with healthy fats, protein, fiber and antioxidants. The wiki says 'It (quinoa) is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron.' One serving of quinoa has 5 grams of (complete) protein and 3 grams of fiber. You can beef up the protein even more by adding one cup cooked edemame. Serve with freshly cracked black pepper.

What You Need:

3 cups cooked quinoa, prepared in chicken broth (1 cup uncooked)
1 cup pineapple, small dice
½ cup baby carrot, sliced
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup red onion, small dice
1 recipe jalapeno balsamic, recipe follows



What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably over night. The longer it sits, the better it tastes!



Serves 4


Bon Appétit!
Mary



Jalapeno Balsamic Dressing

What You Need:
½ jalapeno, diced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp pepper



What To Do:
Combine all ingredients in a small food processor or blender until smooth.

Tropical Green Monster

This is a tropical version of my green filled protein shake that I have featured a few times already. When I was a kid, my favorite juice was pine-orange-banana. If I added a bit of orange juice concentrate, I think it would taste almost exactly like my beloved P.O.B. juice. This creamy smoothie hits the spot on a warm summer morning. I promise, you can’t taste the spinach!

What You Need:

1 ¾ cup milk
1 large frozen banana
2 cups frozen pineapple
2 servings vanilla protein powder
4 cups fresh spinach
2 Tbs chia seeds



What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Serves 2


Bottoms Up!
Mary

Seared Ahi Tuna with Pineapple Salsa

There are some days when finding an inspiration for a dish is more challenging than others. When I walked into Trader Joe’s hunting for the ingredients for last night’s dinner I was having one of those days. As I headed back to the meats, I passed the refrigerated section and this beautifully fresh cut pineapple. Hmm… Rounding the corner, the very first thing that caught my eye was two of the most beautiful pieces of tuna. Ah ha! Inspiration found. There are two key ways to create a great sear. One is using a timer to get your sear on. If you try and wing it, you will inevitably have an uneven sear as each side has not been cooked for the exact same amount of time. The second is a really hot pan. I can’t take credit for this method. I give props to my girl Ina Garten for this one. I love how colorful the salsa looks on top of the tuna steaks. Giada de Laurentiis says that you eat with your eyes first and I concur! This light and tangy dish goes perfectly with a side of steamed brown jasmine rice and roasted asparagus. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, leave it out, I think it would still be delicious.

What You Need:

2 Ahi tuna steaks

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
Soy sauce, optional
1 recipe pineapple salsa, recipe follows

What To Do:

Brush Ahi with oil while you heat a large skillet over high heat. Season tuna with salt and pepper. Once pan is hot, add steaks and turn down heat to medium high (salt and pepper side down) and set a timer for 3 minutes. Brush top of Ahi with oil and season with salt and pepper. After your timer does off, flip and set timer again for 3 minutes.

Once tuna is done, serve with salsa, soy sauce and hot sauce.

Serves 2

Bon Appétit

Mary!

Pineapple Salsa

What You Need:

1 cup pineapple, small dice

¼ cup red bell pepper, small dice

1/8 cup red onion, minced
¼ lightly packed cilantro, minced
Juice of ½ a lime

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.