Pineapple Picnic!

Raw and Raw Fusion Vegan Options – Gluten-Free

In my recent Pineapple Series for eHow.com I got a chance to create some new recipes for one of my favorite fruits on the planet.  There is something so captivating about the taste and aroma of pineapple — it has almost a perfume quality to it and it adds a sweet bite of flavor to smoothies, salads, stir fries, and any number of succulent creations.  This tropical treat has the perfect balance between tart and sweet so don’t be afraid to experiment with adding it to savory recipes.

Pineapples Rule!

Pineapple is also a fantastic source of Vitamins C, B6, B1, Thiamin and Folate.  Just one cup of fresh pineapple supplies 128.0% of the DV for the very important trace mineral manganese, which disarms free radicals in the mitochondria.  Pineapples are loaded with fiber and they boast a wonderful enzyme called bromelain that supports digestion and a healthy intestinal tract.

In this pineapple-inspired coleslaw salad I used a combination of shredded cabbage and carrots with a broccoli slaw made by Taylor Farms that made it especially antioxidant rich and filling.  Strictly optional were the additions of chopped chive flowers (which I found at a Vietnamese market) and sunflower sprouts.  For pineapple juice – when you buy cored or chopped fresh pineapple, there will always be some juice at the bottom, which gathers more the longer you store it in the fridge.  Personally, I prefer to stay away from canned fruit or processed pineapple juice, but the choice is yours.

I made this a vegan version, using Vegenaise  for the eHow segment, but you can also use soaked cashews to make it totally raw.  (see modification below)  Even if you are not vegan or vegetarian, you may want to try this as an alternative to mayonnaise as it has a spectacular taste and texture and is much better for you.  Vegenaise and other brands of non-dairy mayonnaise need to be refrigerated.  I particularly like the grapeseed version.

This recipe is also gluten-free.

Pineapple Coleslaw Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups of coleslaw (combination of cabbage, carrots and other slaws)
3/4 cup Vegenaise (if you are not vegan you can replace with mayonnaise)
2-3 TB. apple cider vinegar (depending on how tart you like it)
1/4 cup pineapple juice
Sea salt to taste
1/2 cup of chopped pineapple
1/4 cup of sunflower sprouts
Optional:  fresh ground pepper, chopped chives for garnish

Fully raw option: Soak 1 cup of raw cashews for 1 hour.  Drain and rinse.  Blend with one half cup of fresh water, adding more if needed but keeping to the consistency of mayonnaise.  You may need to add a bit more apple cider vinegar and salt to get the right tartness.  You can also substitute lemon juice for vinegar.

WATCH ME MAKING THIS RECIPE ON EHOW.COM