Pineapples are currently in season and because of that I like to use them as much as possible. I have used pineapples on pizzas, salads and drinks and because of the tropical flavor I like to use them as much as I can when they’re in season. Pineapples really remind me of summer.

I think the combination of pineapples and lemons is sensational–don’t you think? I mean what is more indicative of summer other than lemons and pineapple, that is the reason why I came up with this recipe.

This summer, I was able to take a trip to Spain where I got to visit with family and friends. While there, I spent some time in the kitchen and developed a few recipes. While I was there, I came up with something very similar to this recipe, but have since spent some time perfecting it. The result was this Grilled Pineapple Lemonade, and I really hope you enjoy it! 

This Grilled Pineapple Lemonade has an amazing, refreshing, tropical flavor. My original recipe called for regular pineapple juice, but using grilled pineapple instead elevates the taste of this drink. It truly makes a big difference.

Another thing I love about this recipe is how flexible it is. You can make two different versions, a kid-friendly version or a spiked one. Any coconut rum would work great in this drink. So, if you’re feeling up to it, add it. I have tried both versions and they are both equally refreshing and delicious.

Some notes to mention about this recipe:

1. While grilling the pineapple gives this recipe a unique flavor you can also hack the recipe and use bottled pineapple juice instead. If you are in a hurry this would be the perfect solution, so don’t be afraid to use bottled pineapple juice. 
2. I don’t like my drinks on the sweet side, but you can adjust the amount of sweetness to your taste and add some maple syrup if you like. In my opinion, this recipe is already perfectly sweet.   

For the lemonade, I used Florida’s Natural Brand Lemonade. Florida’s Natural Lemonades are a family favorite of ours: delicious and refreshing on their own, or used in marinades, salad dressings or drinks like this Grilled Pineapples Lemonade. They come in five tasty flavors to play around with in whatever recipe you make, including traditional Lemonade, Lemonade with Strawberry, Lemonade with Raspberry and Peach, Lemonade with Blackberry, and Zero Sugar Lemonade.

I hope you get to try this Grilled Pineapple Lemonade–with a refreshing, tropical, unique flavor, it is nothing short of amazing.

Enjoy! 

Grilled pineapple lemonade

miryam's original recipe

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 oz fresh pineapple, cored and sliced
• 2-4 cups Florida’s Natural® Brand Lemonade
• 2 tbsp maple syrup, optional
• 1/2 cup Coconut Rum, optional

Directions:

Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill pineapple slices about 5 minutes on each side or till desired. Set aside until cool.

In a blender, blend the lemonade and pineapple until you get a smooth consistency.

Add coconut rum and maple syrup if using and whisk until well combined.

The post Grilled pineapple lemonade appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

Do you want to learn how to make one of your favorite drinks 3 unique ways? Not only Daiquiri cocktails are are very classic and enjoyable drink but they are a great option to keep cool this summer. Daiquiri 3 ways is sure to be a hit with family and friends on any BBQ or gathering this summer. Whether you drink alcohol or not, these recipes will give you options to server everyone.

Not only are Daiquiris delicious, but they are so fun to drink and a great way to keep cool during
the heat of late-summer. Over the past few months, I’ve been having fun making variations of
different drinks, and these recipes were no exception. I love serving Daiquiris to my family,
especially my kids. (A virgin version, of course!) When we travelled to Mexico one of their
favorite memories was drinking Virgin Daiquiris by the pool— fruity, colorful, refreshing drinks
that they really enjoyed. To make sure everyone can get in on the fun, I created three unique
Daiquiri recipes that are sure to be a hit with family and friends at any BBQ or gathering.  

In addition to the Virgin Daiquiri, I created an amazing Spicy Daiquiri and a Frozen Strawberry
Orange Daiquiri. The Spicy Daiquiri turned out to be a crowd favorite—for some reason, we are
liking all the spicy cocktails variations I am making this summer. Very unique!

For these cocktails, I use the one and only Florida's Natural. Florida’s Natural® Brand Orange
Juice is crafted with care by five generations of Florida families, and it’s made from 100 percent
real Florida oranges. They use only hand-picked oranges, never frozen concentrate.

If you are looking for some unique cocktail recipes to add to your summer menu, these recipes are a great place to start. Tasty, unique and full of flavor, these Daiquiri variations are sure to be a hit amongst family and friends!

Enjoy!

Daiquiri 3 ways

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 1 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

 Spicy Daiquiri

• 2 ounces rum
• 1/4 cup  Florida's Natural orange juice
• 1 inch chilli, mulled
• 1 tbsp maple syrup, optional

Frozen Strawberry and Orange Daiquiri

• 2 ounces rum
• 1/4 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/4 cup  Florida's Natural orange juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup, optional
• Fresh pineapple, for garnish, optional

Virgin Daiquiri

• 1/2 cup  Florida's Natural orange juice
• 1/4 frozen pineapple
• 1 tbsp maple syrup, optional
• Fresh pineapple, for garnish, optional

 

Directions:

Spicy Daiquiri

In a glass, muddle chili with 1 oz of rum and maple syrup, if using. Strain the mixture into a glass over ice. Pour in the rest of the rum and orange juice and stir to mix. Garnish with additional chili slices.

with chili slices.

Frozen Strawberry and Orange Daiquiri

Add rum, frozen strawberries, orange juice and maple syrup, if using, to a blender. Blend on high until well mixed. Pour into a glass and garnish with fresh strawberries.

Virgin Daiquiri

Add orange juice, frozen pineapple and maple syrup, if using, to a blender. Blend on high until well mixed. Pour into a glass and garnish with fresh pineapple.

The post Daiquiri 3 ways appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

If you have been following my blog for a while I am sure you know that I try to keep certain foods organic as well as use produce that is in season as much as possible.

I think it becomes even more important if you are an avid cook and like to make sure your meals taste the best they could possibly taste.

When using produce in season not only it tastes better but the amount of chemicals used to grow them is less so potentially this means less pesticides in your plate.

In addition, when using produce and fruits in season the carbon foot print to obtain these products is less since they are coming from local sources rather than cross country or overseas.

There are also certain fruits and vegetables that I always get organic. Getting organic produce supports farmers that are actually growing produce in a more sustainable manner since this way of farming has fewer environmental impacts per acre.

Research has demonstrated that organic fruits and vegetables have smaller amounts of pesticide residue than produce that was grown conventionally and there are certain vegetables and fruits that are more susceptible to this rule. I mean don’t get me wrong, I would love to have all the fruits and vegetables we consume organic but this can get very pricy so I just make sure I stick to the list below and make sure I purchase these products organic.

I have also device a list of seasonable produce so that you can take advantage and find out what to buy each month. This is the list that I go by and quite frankly it is very helpful. I also purchase my produce at the same local stores where I have develop a relationship with store owners since I always question where the produce comes from.

Often times you can read where the produce comes from, as it is label. Many comes from places like Mexico, chile and other South American countries, which in my opinion is way too far. Some come from California and in my case living in NJ, many of it comes from here! A much better option for me.

It is our responsibility to be kinder to the earth. By modifying just a few simple things in your cooking it can make a big impact. Being mindful of our environment it is very important to ensure that humanity can remaing in it for years to come.

TIPS ON HOW TO EAT GREENER

I am an avid advocate of eating organically and eating green by minimizing my carbon foot print so here are some resources.

• Do not waste food, when you waste food, you waste the energy used to grow, transport and cook it. In addition, when food waste is sent to landfills instead of being composted, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

• To reduce gas emissions, buy local and seasonal produce.

• Don’t rely on heavily packaged and processed foods, which take basic foods and add many more steps to it such as processing, refining, packaging, transporting and storing, which all require fossil fuel.

Visit http://www.eatlowcarbon.org to see the carbon footprint of your meal choice and to make direct, immediate comparisons with other foods options!

OTHER RESOURCES

• http://www.sustainabletable.org

• http://www.eatlocalamerica.coop

• http://www.localharvest.org

• http://www.organicconsumers.org

• http://www.foodnews.org

• http://www.safecosmetics.org

• http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

For these yogurt protein smoothie 3 ways I used fruit that is in season. I used organic strawberries, organic mangoes, meyer lemons and pineapple.

I also used Silk dairy-free yogurt alternative. I use strawberry, mango and pineapple flavors. Because the fruit is naturally sweet and so are the yogurts there is no need to add sweetener to the smoothies.

You can also sign up to receive the Silk newsletters and take advantage of their many coupons. If you use their products you should take advantage of their many coupons they offer.

When making the smoothies I had a little bit leftover from each so I went ahead and froze them as popsicles. A great idea if your kids like them. Healthier and more economical and now that the weather is getting warmer it is the perfect healthy snack.

Well I hope you enjoy these yogurt protein smoothie 3 ways. They are sure perfect for a snack, breakfast or any time of the day.

Enjoy!

Yogurt protein smoothie 3 ways

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 3 smoothies

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 oz organic fresh strawberries
• 3 oz fresh mango
• 3 oz fresh pineapple
• 1 meyer lemon, peeled
• 3 tbs protein powder
• 1 Silk dairy-free strawberry yogurt
• 1 Silk dairy-free mango yogurt
• 1 Silk dairy-free pineapple yogurt

Directions:

For the strawberry smoothie add the strawberries, strawberry yogurt and 1 tablespoon of protein powder to your blender and pulse until the mixture is homogenous. Serve immediately.

For the mango smoothie add the chopped mango, mango yogurt and 1 tablespoon of protein powder to your blender and pulse until the mixture is homogenous. Serve immediately.

For the pineapple smoothie add the chopped pineapple, lemon, pineapple yogurt and 1 tablespoon of protein powder to your blender and pulse until the mixture is homogenous. Serve immediately.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Yogurt protein smoothie 3 ways appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

It takes literally just 5 minutes to make overnight oats. The most amazing thing is that you will have it for the entire week if you make enough, just like me. Come Sunday, I always make a huge bowl of overnight oats to have for the upcoming week for breakfast or as a snack. Making overnight oats ensures that I won’t be graving something unhealthy on the  go when there is no time to prepare a healthy breakfast meal.

Sundays has become my meal prep for the week. Now, I hardly cook over the week since I am attending summer school, so on Sundays, for about 1 hour and a half, I prepare 3-4 meals, breakfast and a dessert to have during the week. Does anyone do anything such as this? What is your strategy? I just started doing this no long ago and it works great actually.

My kids love overnight oats, especially this version. I added unsweetened coconut flakes, mango and pineapple, which is why my kids loved it so much, the big chunks of fruit in it is what they always eat first.

For my version I didn’t use coconut milk but if you like I think it will work great too. If you are vegan, just make sure you use any other type of yogurt. I like Greek yogurt because it gives the oats a thick creamy consistency but any other type will do.

If you haven’t tried overnight oats before you are truly missing out. It is one of the easiest, healthiest and tastiest breakfast of all times, or at least we think so :-)

Enjoy!

Tropical overnight oats

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 12 servings

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups rolled oats, gluten free
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt, coconut yogurt for vegans
• 4-5 cups almond or coconut milk
• 1 cup mango chunks, I used frozen
• 1 cup pineapple chunks, I used frozen
• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 scoop vanilla hemp protein powder, optional
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl add all of the ingredients and mix through. If you see that the mixture is too dry you can add more milk as it will be absorbed as it sits in the fridge overnight. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Store in your refrigerator for up to 1 week. I have kept mine for 7 days just fine.

The post Overnight tropical oats appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

We are in love with slushies making and drinking them. They are extremely easy and delicious and this kiwi pineapple slushy is just an example.

You can make which ever flavor you desire. I have made a coconut and pineapple flavor before that it is the bomb. I think next time there has to be one made with some sort of strawberries or berries since they are in season. I think my kids will love it too. They are always requesting slushies instead of smoothies since they like the frizz of the seltzer water.

I have used different flavors of seltzer water. All natural of course, so don’t be afraid to use any flavor you desire, as it will go great with the kiwi and pineapple.

For the kiwi and pineapple slushy recipe head on over to Wayfair. This recipe is going to be great for the summer as a refreshing drink or treat, especially for the kids.

Enjoy!

The post Kiwi pineapple slushy appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

With spring here and summer just around the corner, refreshing, easy and light foods is what my family craves.

This quinoa mixed fruit salad is nothing but easy and refreshing. It is also healthy and perfect for family gatherings and barbecues. This can be eaten in place of dessert as a healthy alternative or even as a snack.

If you don’t like some of the fruit chosen for this recipe you can swap it for any of your choice, as this recipe is very versatile. Just don’t omit the fresh mint, as this gives the salad a really refreshing and unique flavor.

For the quinoa mixed fruit salad recipe go to Wayfair so that you can make these magnificent nutritious salad that I am sure everyone will love.

Enjoy!

The post Quinoa mixed fruit salad appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.