One of the Healthiest Fruits on the Planet

We are on week #33, counting down with my expectant friend. As some of you know from experience, she is getting pretty uncomfortable.

My prayer for her, and her dear hubby, is a restful night’s sleep BEFORE the little one arrives.

We’ll keep this quiet—but once baby is here, getting sleep is a bit challenging. Shhhh….

I’m pretty excited about this week’s baby size fruit: the pineapple. 

The pineapple is indeed a fruit. A tropical one. No goofy reclassification like we had with the eggplant, which I thought to be a vegetable and is really a fruit.

Pineapple makes the list of “20 healthiest fruits on the planet.” And it is very delicious, in my opinion.

Pineapple is rich in vitamin C and manganese. It also contains a mixture of enzymes that help reduce inflammation and digest proteins. Its antioxidant properties help reduce the risk of chronic disease.

All of these benefits promote a healthy immune system which equates to a healthier you. And it’s WAY tastier that cauliflower—again, my opinion.

Ways to incorporate pineapple into your diet

• Keep frozen on hand to add to smoothies
• Add to a mixed fruit salad
• Top your homemade pizza
• Make a salad with roasted chicken, pineapple, blueberries (another top 20 fruit), and almonds. Serve on a bed of greens.
• Top your burger with a pineapple ring for a Hawaiian flair
• Goes great with cottage cheese (this makes a nice breakfast when you’re tired of the usual foods)
• Eat it all by itself

How to choose a tasty pineapple

1. Look for a bit of yellow, which should be present at the eyes at the base of the fruit, but a green tint elsewhere is fine. The leaves should be a vibrant shade of green.
2. Squeeze it. The body of the pineapple should not be soft. It should be firm and give slightly with pressure.
3. Sniff near the stem. It should smell sweet. No scent means it’s not ripe. If it smells like vinegar or alcohol, put it down. It’s past its prime and you don’t want anything to do with it.
4. The heavier, the better. As with melons, there’s more water so it’s juicy.
5. I also read that if you store it upside down before you cut it, the sweet juice from the bottom which was connected to the plant, circulates throughout the pineapple. 

I sometimes let it sit on my counter for a few too many days and it goes bad. Putting it in the fridge if I’m not quite ready to cut it helps keep it from spoiling.

If you have trouble cutting a pineapple, check out one of the videos on YouTube. It’s much easier than trying to explain it. Cutting a fresh pineapple is not hard once you know how to go about it.

It is definitely worth the effort.

Welcome to the 40 days of Lent

We are now marking the time until Easter. Lent is a great time to reflect and perhaps make some changes. It’s an opportunity for personal spiritual growth.

In the midst of winter, with snow piled so high that I have to shovel a path for my little Sophie dog, the Lenten season brings hope.

About the time we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we also see the beauty of spring in bloom.

My friend will be a new mom.

How will you spend these 40 days?

Much love,
Carol

“Do not be afraid to dream. Perhaps your fear is of failure. There is no shame in trying to attempt mighty things and failing. The shame is in failing to attempt those things.”—Matthew Kelly