Grilled pineapple is amazing – just delicious!  If  you’ve never tried it you need to… really.  And the grilled pineapple is only half of this tasty meal.  The Asian-inspried marinade was a fun change of change of pace from our usual barbecue sauces and Mexican-inspired marinades.

I spotted these Chicken and Pineapple Skewers on Proceed With Caution and knew I just had to try them!  Since I only had thin-sliced chicken on hand (I buy chicken on sale,  trim and slice it thin before freezing), I opted to grill the breasts whole.  Served on a bed of brown rice and garnished with chopped green onion, this is quick and easy weeknight meal.  We’re adding it to our grilling rotation!

Asian Pineapple Chicken

2 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp low sodium tamari soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded or sliced thin
1/2 pound fresh pineapple, sliced into spears
1 tbsp agave nectar or honey

1.  In a large bowl, whisk together onions, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger. Add chicken and cover, marinating in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
2.  After preheating grill, grill chicken over medium-high direct heat until cooked through.  Baste  occasionally with marinade. (Food safety tip:  do not baste chicken during the final flip – you want to make sure everything is cooked properly.)
4.  When chicken is almost done, place pineapple on the grill over medium direct heat. Flip after 4 minutes.  After grilling the other side for 4 minutes, remove and serve.

Looking for a quick, light and refreshing way to beat the summer heat? This Pineapple Sorbet from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop is the easiest and cheapest recipe that I have come across for my ice cream maker. The original recipe suggests using a fresh pineapple, but canned pineapple (unsweetened and packed in juice) will do the trick! Using canned pineapple, I whipped up the base for chilling in a matter of minutes.

While the original recipe only included pineapple, sugar and water, I opted to add some Captain Morgan spiced rum (2 teaspoons). Inhaling the aroma of the unfrozen concoction conjured up images of lounging in the sun in a tropical paradise, but the rum flavor was more subdued once frozen. Next time, I think I’ll double the amount of rum and add a total of 1 tablespoon.

The finished product is heavenly. The pureed pineapple lends a nice body to the sorbet, so it is not icy and can be easily scooped right from the freezer. It has a light, sweet taste and while not super-low-calorie, is far friendlier to the waistline than it’s cream-laden counterparts.

Pineapple Sorbet

Yields about 3 cups

1/2 pineapple, peeled and cored OR 1 can of pineapple (unsweetened, packed in juice)
8 to 10 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. spiced rum (Captain Morgan is a household favorite!)

1. Cut the pineapple into chunks and puree in a blender OR puree canned pineapple.
2. Remove pineapple puree and return only two cups to the blender.
3. Add sugar, water and rum and blend well.
4. Chill the mixture thoroughly before freezing in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.