Tag Archives: pineapple

Hula-la-la! Pineapple Smoothie & Sweet Hawaiian Beef Burgers

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If you’re tired and stressed out, a good drink might put you in a better state of body and mind. One sip of this Pineapple Express Smoothie and you’ll be whisked away via taste buds to a tropical island resort — can’t you just see yourself relaxing in a hammock with nothing to do all day except listen to the sound of the waves roll across the beach?

pineapple banana tea smoothie

The recipe is simple, just blend 6 ounce chilled green tea and 4 ounces pineapple juice with 1/2 frozen banana and 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks. Add liquid Stevia drops and ice, as desired. The paper umbrella is mandatory!

So, if all that loafing around on your imaginary vacation has worked up your appetite, may I interest you in a burger? It is National Hamburger Month, after all! Sure, you could do a “burger” made with chicken, turkey, salmon or even beans – but nothing compares to the meaty satisfaction and siren song sizzle of a real beef burger.

Not that I don’t love all the lean proteins just mentioned (because I do), but when I’m ready to fire up the grill and haul out the buns, this girl wants her hamburger a cut above! Pick your jaw off the ground (you’ll need it for drooling over the recipe later), I’m here to share the news that a beef hamburger now, then and again is actually good for you – lean ground beef is an excellent source of protein, iron, b vitamins, zinc with only about 150 calories and less than 10g fat (depending on cut and cooking method) per 3-ounce serving. You could opt for super lean 95% ground beef for your burger, but I think that grind makes ‘em a bit dry. I often use an 80 – 85% ground chuck for burgers and ensure that I’m allowing the extra fat to melt and drain off.  Sources say that after the fat is cooked off, the beef actually becomes about 10 – 15% leaner (so now the 80% is at least 90% lean, make sense?) and the burger is much more tender.

Beef Buger on Jalapeno Bun

Now, I’m pretty famous in my family for taking my burger bunless, naked in all its God-given glory. Or, sometimes I’ll dress up my burger with everything BUT a bun– check out my recipe for Hot Mess Hatch Green Chile Burgers on Calabaza Squash “Buns.” That being said, I never turn down one of my Dad’s homemade Jalapeno Cheddar Buns or burgers served on a “sweet” bun – like the King’s Sweet Hawaiian Rolls used in the recipe for Mini Hawaiian Burgers from my friends at Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.

beef burger pineapple slidersWith summer on my mind and grilling season firing up, I knew this yummy, kid-friendly, island-inspired recipe for Sweet Hawaiian Mini Burgers would be perfect for a cooking demonstration I put on last night for a group of families and their elementary-aged children. This particular slider-sized burger was a huge hit, and I wasn’t at all surprised that all but one of my audience members embraced their burger with the lettuce, pineapple, sauce and all! Of course, I had just talked up “trying new things” and “eating an abundance of fruits and veggies”!

 

Sweet Hawaiian Mini Burgers Recipe

Patties:

  • 1 pound lean Ground Beef
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 canned pineapple slices, drained
  • 12 Hawaiian sweet or small whole wheat dinner rolls, split
  • Lettuce

Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1/4 cup pineapple preserves
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  1. Combine ground beef and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into twelve 1/2-inch thick mini patties. Set aside.
  2. Combine sauce ingredients in small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
  3. Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 9 to 11 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally.
  4. Meanwhile brush pineapple slices with sauce and place on grid around patties. Grill pineapple 4 minutes, turning once and brushing with additional sauce. Remove pineapple, keep warm. Brush burgers with remaining sauce after turning.
  5. Cut each pineapple slice into thirds. Line bottom of each roll with lettuce, top with burger, then with pineapple piece. Close sandwiches. Serves 4. Nutrition Information here.
(Recipe and photo courtesy of The Beef Checkoff www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com)

Uno, Dos, Tres! Avocados Three Ways

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box of avocados thefitfork

I recently received a box full of bliss on my doorstep.  So what did the UPS man deliver? No, it wasn’t a new pair of sandals for spring or video game ordered by the boys – it was a case brimming with beautiful California Avocados.  Smooth, velvety goodness ready to nourish my body with healthy fats and essential vitamins and nutrients – now THAT is something worth coming home to! I could wax poetic about the health benefits of avocados all day; surely you remember how many avocados I was eating during my “fat-loading” phase for the last marathon!

avocado arrangement 700

So, each one my new beautiful avocados were perfectly shaped and without a dent, bruise or brown spot – plus, none of them had those awful stringy things on the inside. By the way, the stringiness found in some avocados near the stem end is a result of a younger tree vigorously putting out fruit. As the tree matures, it typically stops producing fruit with this stressed-out, overabundance of cellulose fibers. Unfortunately, you can’t tell from the outside of avocados which ones are strung out – haha!  And, while you CAN eat the stringy fibers, who wants to?

With peak California Avocado season in full swing now through fall (haller-lu-ya) and Cinco de Mayo just days away, what better way to start devouring my stash than with some south-of-the-border inspired avocado recipes.

avocado guacamole

Cilantro-Lime Guacamole Recipe

Simple, smooth and just so darn good that I have been known to eat the whole bowl at one sitting! A perfect dip for chips or healthier options like carrot, jicama, or zucchini sticks.

  • 1 large avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • Garnish (optional) : chopped red onion

Using a fork or back of spoon, mash avocado until smooth with just a few small lumps remaining for texture. Add lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt; stir well to combine. Top with red onion, if desired. Serves 4.

Avocado Red Onion Pineapple salad

Avocado Pineapple Relish Recipe

I originally made this dish as an experimental side for smoked brisket and turkey; obviously I wasn’t in the mood for coleslaw and other normal barbeque sides. We gobbled it all up and then I made it again for fish tacos and tortilla chips!

  • 1 medium avocado; pitted, scored and flesh removed
  • 2/3 cup diced fresh pineapple
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon finely minced jalapeno
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Score avocado in shell as pictured below and remove or peel and dice. Mix all ingredients in non-reactive bowl and gently toss together. Serves 6.

avocado half

Scoring avocado is the easiest way to prep for salsa & relish recipes.

beef and vegetable stuffed avocados 

Baja Beef Avocado Bowls Recipe

Made last month as part of a “chopped” style competition at a nutrition event (and the winner, natch!), this vibrant and very easy dinner recipe uses the avocado shell and part of the flesh as a bowl – the scooped out remainder is made into guacamole and dolloped on top!  Get the full recipe for Baja Beef Avocado Bowls on my protein for performance post.

So what will I be doing with the rest of my avocados? Come back in a couple days to find out!

Avocados provided by the California Avocado Commission, but all recipes and opinions my own.

I love to live vicariously, please share your favorite way to eat avocados in the comments!

Elite Eats: Pro Triathlete Natasha van der Merwe Spices Up With Jamaican Beef Kabob Recipe

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After a day that includes numerous hours logged on a run, bike or swim, it seems like a girl could eat whatever she wanted. While I have heard pro triathlete Natasha van der Merwe  hint at these 5,000 calorie days, I know firsthand that she’s not scarfing down gut-busting pizza and McFlurrys during her typical training block – these treats are reserved for much-deserved, post-race rewards. The day-to-day menu of the “South African born but Texas trained” transplant is much more practical, drawing on foods “with a purpose” to either fuel her for the next workout or help her recover from the most recent.

As much as she can, Natasha likes to stick to “real” unprocessed foods and a gluten-free diet. During long training rides she’s made the switch from energy bars and gels for mid-ride fuel to homemade sweet potato cookies — or even sometimes just the whole baked sweet potato!  Believe it or not, a challenge for Natasha is taking in enough quality calories to stay “topped off” for Ironman training, a commitment that often has her busy working out 2 or 3 times per day. Oh, and did I also mention that she fills her downtime with coaching and taking care of the day-to-day details of Tri Team Transport, a triathlon bike and gear transport business she owns with her husband.

Because of this hectic schedule, Natasha tells me that she relies on quick and easy meals that can be thrown on the grill. Lean steak, a sweet potato and some veggies has long been her go-to selection. A perfect choice for the athlete and I’m not the only one saying so!  According to experts, a 3.5 ounce serving of lean beef supplies about 40 percent of the daily requirements for zinc, a mineral needed to keep the immune system strong. Also supplied in this modest-sized serving of beef are 2 milligrams of iron (athletes need extra to rebuild red blood cells broken down by taxing training sessions) and a boost of B vitamins which help convert carbs (like a nutrient-dense sweet potato)into usable fuel for exercise.

It sure looks like beef is working for Natasha; this year she’s had some solid breakthroughs in her sport including a 37 minute 10k (off the bike, mind you!), a sub 30 minute swim in the half-Ironman and top ten finishes in too many 70.3 distances to count. Plus, she also recently finished her first full Ironman 140.6 distance (something she said she’d “never” do) at Ironman Mont Tremblant and now has her mind set on Ironman Florida and Ironman Arizona.  Probably her only “beef” about beef is being in a rut about how to prepare it day in and day out– and that’s where I come in!

Knowing Natasha’s livelihood relies on simple, satisfying and nutritionally-sound suppers, I went to my source for no-fail beef recipes — the Texas Beef Council.  The perfect “spiced-up” dinner suggestion for my triathlete friend that contains both lean beef and sweet potatoes is (drumroll) Jamaican Beef Kabobs. You should try it for dinner tonight, if you know what’s good for you!

 

Jamaican Beef Kabobs Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

  • 1 lb. beef sirloin steak (or other lean cuts such as eye of round, sirloin, tenderloin)
  • 1 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 1 tsp. red pepper
  • 1 tsp. allspice
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1 medium pineapple
  • 4 fresh jalapeno peppers
Directions
Mix onion powder, sugar, thyme, red pepper, allspice, salt and pepper together in small bowl. Rub mixture into steak.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place the potatoes in sauce pan with water to cover. Simmer until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.

Cut the steak and the pineapple into 1-inch cubes. Cut the jalapenos in half and remove the seeds.

Thread beef, sweet potatoes, pineapple and jalapenos onto skewers. Grill over medium coals until beef is done to your liking, about 10-15 minutes.

Suggestions: If you prefer a less “fiery” version, substitute green bell peppers for the jalapenos. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 10 minutes and drain before using. This will keep them from burning on the grill. Use plastic gloves while handling jalapenos to avoid burning hands. You can substitute shoulder steak for the sirloin steak.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 287 Calories; 5g Total Fat; 2g Saturated Fat; 50mg Cholesterol; 3mg Iron; 660mg Sodium; 5mg Zinc; 28g Protein; 32g Carbohydrates; 5g Dietary Fiber