Guest Author - Jill Valente

Hello and welcome to Bella Online’s Healthy Foods site!! To most of you life is the same, it’s December, you are in the thick of holiday madness and a welcome note from a site that has been in existence seems strange. I would be right there with you except this year on December 8th I got married and felt a reintroduction (name change to follow) seemed appropriate. I am now on my honeymoon on St. John in the US Virgin Islands. We rented a villa here so that I could stay true to my passions; cooking, leading a healthy lifestyle and making my husband Jeff happy (who grows more handsome, generous, thoughtful and successful by the second). Okay, enough doting on my recent nuptials…back to business!

I wish I could write about a fabulous holiday dinner idea or healthy Christmas cookie but in the warm weather that all seems so far away. What I can do is suggest a delectable dessert that is a bit more tropical then traditional but still wonderful. After all those heavy holiday meals, a refreshing and light dessert will hit the spot!

Pina Colada Pineapple Dessert
Pineapples are in season from March through July but most grocery stores carry them year round. They have many health benefits and are packed with vitamins and nutrients. Pineapples are an excellent source of vitamin C making them ideal this time of year when you are trying to ward of colds and the flu.

• Cooking spray
• 1 medium pineapple, peeled cored and cut lengthwise into 1 inch slices
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp light or dark rum
• 2 ½ cups low fat coconut ice cream or coconut frozen yogurt
• 1 tsp St John Sweet Spice (equal parts brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon)

Preheat grill or grill pan and spray with cooking spray. Combine melted butter and rum and coat each slice of pineapple. Place pineapple on the grill and grill until heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Place a equal amounts pineapple into 6 martini glasses and top with a small scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt. Sprinkle with St John Sweet Spice and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Notes
Serving this in a martini glass dresses up a simple dessert. You can also top it with toasted coconut or chopped nuts.