Healthy Pineapple Recipes

Many people swear by aloe for glowing skin, and this smoothie is a delicious way to get it into your diet. You probably know aloe as a topical skin soother, but it also delivers antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Some people don't love the flavor of aloe, so this recipe has plenty of fruit to help balance the flavors. Make sure you're buying pure aloe vera meant for eating—or that you've got the correct aloe vera plant if you're DIYing. Read more about aloe vera benefits and cautions.

Ready in under 30 minutes, this spicy chicken dish with sweet pineapple slaw is perfect for any night of the week.

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 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.

Prepeeled pineapple, presliced peppers and onions and fresh pico de gallo help this quick, healthy dinner recipe come together in a flash. Chicken tenders are a good substitute for the steak if you prefer. Blend up some margaritas and call it a party.

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.

Cherries add tangy flair to the traditional piña colada flavors of pineapple and coconut in this healthy fruit smoothie recipe that will have you dreaming of a beach vacation.

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.

This tropical dish is made complete with Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. Pork, rice, and beans combine with pineapple and red onion in a delicious honey-lime vinaigrette.

Pineapple, grapefruit and spinach are packed with water and minerals, which can help hydrate you and supply your body with a bounty of fiber too. Electrolyte-rich coconut water is a refreshing dairy-free substitute for yogurt or milk. If you have time, freeze the coconut water into cubes for an extra-frosty smoothie.

Start your day with a burst of antioxidants in this energizing healthy smoothie recipe.

If you like piña coladas, try this lower-calorie version using ripe bananas blended with fresh pineapple and coconut milk. Serve it in festive tropical-drink glasses.

This tropical cocktail gets a light sparkle from pineapple kombucha. Almond extract replaces the orgeat almond syrup traditionally found in a mai tai to reduce the sugar while maintaining the flavor.

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 sweet, spicy and super-easy shrimp-and-vegetable stir-fry starts with a very small amount of bacon in the wok, which creates drippings that add tons of smoky flavor to the vegetables and shrimp that go in next. Keep the salt in check by using reduced-sodium tamari sauce. To complete this easy healthy dinner, add cooked brown rice.

For the best taste and color, use a red-fleshed Hawaiian papaya for this exotic, lip-puckering taste of island summer. Papayas are loaded with papain, a digestive enzyme, so this smoothie is a good dessert to settle stomachs after a substantial meal.

At last--a sweet-and-sour dish with a fresh, not cloying, taste. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper, a splash of chile-garlic sauce or a dash of hot sauce to give it a little heat.

Use juice rather than added sugar, such as honey or maple syrup, to balance the bitter taste of greens and suddenly you have a serving of vegetables that tastes like dessert. Of course, you can use any juice without added sugar, including apple or orange, for example. But the relaxing-poolside flavor of pineapple combined with the ready-to-go convenience of the small, shelf-stable cans makes this our fave.

Mochi (made from glutinous sweet rice flour) is a pillow-like dough that the Japanese fashion into all kinds of confections. In Hawaii it's made into this simple, rich cake with the addition of eggs. We love it with this zesty lime curd topping for an extra-special dessert. Recipe adapted from Chef Greg Harrison, Pacific'O Restaurant.

Jamaican jerk chicken is traditionally marinated at least overnight and then grilled low and slow for fall-apart tenderness. Here, we coat chicken in store-bought seasoning but cook it in a pan for a faster version. Searing pineapple caramelizes its natural sugars and releases some of its juices—making for a more flavorful salsa that plays beautifully with the seasoning on the chicken.

These tropical popsicles will keep you feeling refreshed on a hot summer day.

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.

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.

Topped with crystallized ginger, these mini, pineapple-flavored cheesecakes are to die for. They're made with a blend of Greek yogurt and reduced-fat cream cheese and have a crunchy, gingersnap cookie crust.