Fresh Pineapple Salsa

Like most Bengali, I too was born with a sweet tooth. Not just one but all 32 of them! 

Growing up, almost all our meals ended on a sweet note. And even today, I get intense craving for something sweet, especially after a hearty meat or fish based meal. I have also noticed that I tend to crave for dessert a lot less, after a vegetarian meal or after eating a salad which has some fruits tossed in or has a sweet vinaigrette or dressing. 

In short, having veggies or fruits or anything rich in natural sugars as a part of the meal, greatly reduces the need for a post meal dessert. At least for me it does! 

So often you'd find me adding a fruit based salad or salsa to my meal or roasting my veggies to bring out their sweetness. 

The recipe for this Pineapple Salsa is very similar to my Peach Mango Salsa. Something magical happens when freshly grated ginger hits sweet-tart fruits like pineapples. The spicy zing of the ginger heightens the flavor, the freshness and sweetness of the fruit.

When fresh and juicy pineapples is mixed with sweet red peppers, crunchy onions, spicy jalapenos, it's a complete riot of flavors. It's refreshingly fresh and delightful.

This Pineapple Salsa is not only an awesome Chip N Dip Recipe for your parties but an excellent side dish to grilled meat, or fish or even grilled tofu. I recently served it at a party with sweet potato and corn chips and it was very well received.

For me, there is something about pineapples and pork chops. I love my Pineapple Salsa with a side of juicy grilled pork chops. 

And before heading to recipe, here are some other salsa recipes you might like:
Peach Mango Salsa
Pico de Gallo

Mango-Black Bean Salsa

Recipe Snapshot: Fresh Pineapple Salsa Serves: 8 -10 serving (1 serving = 1/4 cup) What I used: Fresh Pineapple - 1 medium to large sized, pealed, cored and diced into small cubes, about 3 cups Red Bell Pepper - 1, large, diced in to small cubes, about 1 cup Red Onion - 1, medium sized, diced - small, about 1/2 cup Serrano Pepper or Jalapeno - 1, seeds and membrane removed and finely chopped Fresh Ginger - a small nob about 1", grated  Lime or Lemon - juice and zest of one whole lime or half a lemon Himalayan Pink Salt (or any coarse sea salt or rock salt) - to taste Cilantro/ Coriander Leaves - about 1/2 cup, tightly packed, finely chopped What I did: 1. In a large bowl, add the diced pineapples, along with the juices it released during the chopping process. Add the chopped onions, red bell peppers, jalapenos (or Serrano peppers). 2. Add the grated ginger, zest and juice of either one whole lime or half a lemon. Give everything a good toss. 3. Sprinkle the Himalayan pink salt (or any sea salt of choice) and mix well. Taste and add more accordingly. 4. Add the chopped cilantro and mix well. 5. Serve immediately with corn chips or cover and chill until ready to use.

Diabetic Platter: Spiny on the outside, sweet on the inside, pineapples are one fantastic fruit. Pineapples’ nutritional benefits are as fascinating as their anatomy. “Pineapples contain high amounts of vitamin C and manganese,” said San Diego-based nutritionist Laura Flores. These tropical treats are also a good way to get important dietary fiber and bromelain (an enzyme). “As well as having high amounts of manganese, which is important for antioxidant defenses, pineapples also contain high amounts of thiamin, a B vitamin that is involved in energy production,” Flores said. For all its sweetness, one cup of pineapple chunks contains only 82 calories. Pineapples are also fat-free, cholesterol-free and low in sodium. Not surprisingly, they do contain sugar, with 16 grams per cup. Read More: http://www.livescience.com/45487-pineapple-nutrition.html

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