I love to mix interesting flavors together and I accidentally stumbled on this combination while needing a snack pronto! This crowd-pleasing pineapple salad recipe is as delicious as it is nutritious.
Why these ingredients?
Pineapple is a favorite among tropical fruits. It’s growing season is typically from March to June, but available year round in most stores. The powerhouse enzyme in pineapple is known as bromelain, which can be extracted from the stem and core of this fruit. Some of my favorite facts about this enzyme is that it aids in reducing inflammation, improving digestion and is packed with Vitamin C to help our immune system. In order to get the most health benefits, try juicing the core of the fruit or take a supplement like this one, but on an empty stomach. As always, if adding a new supplement to your routine please check with your doctor and/or pharmacist. Other powerful nutrients found in this tropical fruit include manganese, copper, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folate, and pantothenic acid.
Cilantro, aka fresh coriander, often gets confused with Italian flat leaf parsley, which is in the same plant family. Cilantro has numerous health benefits and a few of my favorites are that is a great source of detoxification and aids in digestion and reducing inflammation. It is packed with phytonutrients is a great source of dietary fiber along with copper, manganese, iron, magnesium, and calcium
Avocado is actually a fruit with high fat content. The “good” fats in avocado are alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid, and oleic acid. Avocados have numerous phytonutrients, as well as pantothenic acid, dietary fiber, vitamin K, copper, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Avocados are a personal favorite of mine and my kitchen is always stocked with them!
Hemp seeds are part of the Cannabis family, but are legal, don’t get you high and have numerous health benefits. They are a near “perfect” protein as they contain all 20 amino acids plus 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on its own. They have a 3:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, which benefits our hearts and hormones. If that weren’t enough, these little seeds also have phytonutrients and fiber in these seeds keep the nutritional value high benefiting hearth health, skin, weight loss, joint pain, digestion, PMS and more.
Shallots is related to the onion family, but is more subtle and light in flavor. I typically use this vegetable in dishes where I want a hint of onion, but I don’t want it to be the main focus. Shallots contain folate, potassium, Vitamin A and flavonoids, which carry an antioxidant punch, to help protect the body.
Here is the pineapple “salad” recipe. The flavor combination is a bit non-traditional, but I find it light, refreshing and delicious. I hope you feel the same!
Pineapple Salad Recipe (Yields 1 serving)
1/2 cup diced pineapple
1 -1 1/2 tablesppons finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1 tsp hemp seeds
1/2 diced avocado (optional)
Chop ingredients and add into serving dish. Sprinkle the hemp seeds on top and enjoy!