Healthy Pineapple Recipes

Our 30th anniversary deserved a cake, and what cake better represents EatingWell than one with vegetables? While many homemade carrot cakes include pineapple in the batter, we made a jammy filling with it instead to tuck between the layers.

Enjoy this sweet, refreshing salad alongside grilled meat or fish to cut through the richness and refresh the palate. If you like a little heat, adding jalapeño will give you the kick you crave. While packs of prechopped pineapple are convenient, they're almost always more expensive. When pineapple is in season, it's best to buy fresh and chop it yourself. Look for a pineapple with a golden-yellow exterior, which is a good indicator of ripeness.

This classic piña colada is served in a fun and festive pineapple bowl! For the pineapple juice called for in this recipe, you can use store-bought unsweetened pineapple juice or, better yet, extract juice by mashing the pineapple flesh that you remove from the inside of the pineapple. For a thicker drink, you can also add some of the pineapple flesh to the blender when you're mixing up the drink.

Celebrate Pride Month--or any other occasion that calls for rainbows--with these vibrant, tropical-flavored frozen margaritas! This four-layer fruity cocktail uses only natural ingredients and colors, including a quick infusion made with dried butterfly pea flowers that makes for a dramatic pop of blue. This rainbow margarita is bright and citrusy, with dominant flavors of strawberry and pineapple. Feel free to use fresh or frozen fruit in these pretty margs.

This boozy piña colada transports you to a tropical island with each and every sip. The frozen pineapple gives this juicy drink just the right amount of sweetness, and the canned coconut milk provides creaminess and that signature coconut flavor we love in a piña colada. Mix in some dark rum and you have yourself a tropical 3-ingredient cocktail!

This easy zucchini-pineapple bread is the perfect healthy breakfast treat! Saving the pineapple juice strained from the can to brush on top of the bread keeps it moist and adds more pineapple flavor.

Plan ahead so you can use your slow cooker to prepare the pulled pork for these tacos. This recipe is a better-for-you twist on the classic tacos al pastor. Pork loin is a lean cut that's a healthier option than traditional pork shoulder, which has more fat.

This cake is a spin on bizcocho mojadito, which is often served at celebrations in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. We made this gluten-free almond cake using a cup-for-cup blend with xanthan gum, such as King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. If gluten-free isn't your priority, you can substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour for the GF flour.

Never grilled pineapple? Get ready to be wowed. It caramelizes beautifully for a deeper flavor. Plus it's a totally tasty match with a grilled pork chop, cilantro and a little heat from serranos.

This dreamy vegan baked oatmeal is full of tropical flavors from coconut and pineapple, and it couldn't be easier to make. It's a satisfying family breakfast but also feels special enough for a Sunday brunch with company.

This slow-cooker chicken with pineapple has a hint of ginger and sesame and is made with simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry! Look for fresh pineapple that's been peeled and cored already to make assembly even easier. Serve with brown rice to sop up the sweet and savory sauce.

The name of this recipe says it all: It's an easy, mostly hands-off jerk pork dish that comes together in a snap. The cayenne provides a little heat, but mostly the slow-cooker pork shoulder gets its flavor from the cinnamon and allspice. The bright salsa-pineapple topping cools the dish off and gives it a pretty, dinner-party-worthy appearance. Serve the meat alone, or pile it on buns for sandwiches or shredded atop nachos. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

Carrot juice adds a sweet and earthy counterpoint to the smoky mezcal.

This recipe for slow-cooker scallops is sure to become a tried-and-true favorite for any seafood lover. Tender scallops quickly poach in a sweet and spicy sauce that has been cooking for hours. Brown rice completes the meal.

Get all the tropical flavors you love in a piña colada in this creamy dairy-free dessert. This ice cream alternative gets its sweetness from pineapple and coconut and is just as delicious with or without the optional rum. Either way, it's sure to put you in a beachy state of mind--not bad for a treat that takes just 10 minutes to whip up in your food processor.

These gorgeous smoothie bowls make a healthy breakfast, snack or light dessert. They get their vibrant color from pitaya, aka dragon fruit. Blend them up when you need a special treat that's good for you and good-looking! We call for fresh pitaya in this recipe, but if you can't find it or don't feel like fussing with it, feel free to swap in frozen cubed pitaya.

This homemade Hawaiian pizza can be on the table in just 20 minutes and thanks to the bonus addition of kale--has more fiber, calcium, and vitamin K than takeout.

Try this recipe of pineapple, grapefruit, kiwi, and jicama chilled in spiced cider the next time you need a fruity and refreshing side dish.

Serve this island-inspired salmon with fruity salsa for dinner and your guests may just think you're in the tropics. Not in the mood for fish? The salsa also works well with chicken and pork.

Take a mini vacation around the globe! The Caribbean flavor of rum, the Asian flavor of lemongrass, and the pineapple and brown sugar twist so loved in the South Seas all blend together to make these delicious turkey kebab appetizers. Make it a meal by serving with hot cooked rice and some steamed vegetables.