Did you know that in the Philippines, the whole pineapple is eaten, including the leaves? Yep, lots of fiber y’all! This tropical fruit contains vitamin C, some B vitamins, a lot of natural sugar, and malic acid–this is what gives pineapple that sweet and sour taste.
Thanks to Christopher Columbus and a handful of other explorers, pineapple got introduced to the entire world. In the late 1880s, pineapple came to Hawaii and a man named James Dole started a little pineapple plantation on the island of Oahu. Today, the Dole Plantation is one of the largest pineapple producers in the world.
Here’s Today’s TRICK:
Growing a pineapple is extremely easy to do in any climate. If you live in a cold climate, you will need to grow the pineapple indoors. All you need is a large pot, soil, water, and the leaves of the pineapple. Hold the leaves of the pineapple and twist to remove the top. Put the top in soil, add some water, and be patient–no special fertilizers or anything needed.
Before the pineapple turns to fruit, it will flower. The flowers are a beautiful red color that will grow over six months before the fruit will produce. Pineapples take up to 18 months to grow and become ripe. If the pineapple is planted outdoors, it needs to be planted in full sunlight.
Here’s a TIP:
Do you know how to tell if a pineapple is ripe? Look for a golden yellow color. Make sure it’s from Hawaii as opposed to other areas of the world if you live in the US–it will be only a few days old as opposed to up to 2 weeks old. When you consider that pineapples will not continue to ripen after being picked, that’s important information. When you pick it up, it should be heavy, yet firm with a slight give to the touch. You should smell pineapple, clean and fresh, not a fermenting pineapple smell.
And your RECIPEs:
- 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cracked pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl whisking in oil last in small amounts until well blended.
- 1/2 cup diced tomato
- 1 tablespoon diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon seeded
- Chopped poblano pepper to taste
- 1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Combine everything in a bowl. Salt & pepper to taste. Great with a variety of proteins such as chicken, fish and pork.