Grilled Pineapple

Here is the secret to the easiest, healthy, summer dessert: grilled pineapple. You can serve it several different ways (alone, with ice cream/froyo, with other fruit, with whipped cream, etc.), and it's so sweet and delicious that you really feel like you're eating something more decadent and unhealthy--you truly feel like you're getting a treat.

Since we were planning to grill out anyway, I went ahead and picked up a slightly under-ripe pineapple from the store (as most fruit is sold here in Nebraska. *sigh*) as well as some Reddi-Wip. Ben sliced off the "skin" of the pineapple, but left the crown (the green, leafy part) on as a way to help grasp it on the grill, and then laid it on it's side over med-low heat on the grill.

As a side would start to brown and/or blacken, he would rotate the pineapple, taking it off the grill after all sides have been exposed to the heat. Back on the table, we cut up the pineapple, added some Reddi-Wip (only 15 calories for 2 Tbsp!), and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. DELICIOUS! The heat from the grill softens and sweetens even an under-ripe pineapple, causing it to carmelize a little bit (to be honest, the slightly more "charred" pieces are my favorite--they're sweet enough to be compared to toasted marshmallows, even).

According to Livestrong.com, 1 cup of fresh, diced pineapple is approximately 75 calories. Add 15 calories for the Reddi-Wip, and you have a summery, light, easy, delicious dessert for under 100 calories!

Next time, I think I'd like to make homemade spiced whipped cream from scratch, sweetened with stevia and spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. But to keep it easy, Reddi-Wip certainly works well, too. :)