Pineapple Gazpacho

This lovely pineapple has been sitting on my counter for days. Staring me down. Saying "What'chu gonna do with me? I'm gettin' ripe over here!" You know it's time to get cooking when your ingredients start talking to you.

Grilled pineapple has got to be one of my top 10 favorite things to work with- it's simply delish by itself. Chopped up in grain salad with mustard vinaigrette is so good too. Or try a drenching of homemade caramel sauce, it just kills!

Been there, done that.  This time I yearned for something fresh. The late summer sun is beating through the windows and the air conditioning never seems to shut off. That's when it hit me- gazpacho!

Classically made with tomatoes, gazpacho is a chilled Spanish soup from fresh ingredients. Throw some fruit and vegetables in a blender and your done.

Spiced Candied Bacon on a Stick with Chocolate Drizzle

The end of summer is near and that means everyone is going to try to get in a final few barbecue parties before the first snow. Okay, maybe it really is too early to actually reference snow, but what I'm getting at is that you need look at these next few outdoor parties with reckless abandon. Go out with a bang. Throw caution to wind and get ready to WOW with bacon on a stick.

Bacon on a stick isn't exactly the healthiest thing I've ever made, but  everything in moderation is key. A little maple syrup, a thick slice of bacon and a dollop of chocolate - it's an appetizer and a dessert all rolled into one. It's a bacon bouquet. It's food art.

Fire up the oven or grill, warm the chocolate and tape your mouth shut so you don't accidentally eat all the bacon sticks before you get them to the party. These Chocolate Maple Bacon Sticks WILL be the hit of the party. We need more meats on sticks.

Healthy and Delicious Chocolate Fig Smoothie

I greet every day with a smoothie and my birthday day was no different. Though I did yearn for something that felt a little indulgent I didn't want to start my day down a path of destruction by 7am.

My special day smoothie would involve fresh figs, I knew that much for sure since a few figs found their way to me via a local CSA. Chocolate just seemed to be an interesting compliment to the figs.  Thanks to the raw cacao stocked in my pantry I got a great antioxidant boost without turning my healthy breakfast treat into a diner-like fattening shake. The almond milk and hemp seeds pack in a big boost of protein too.

This smoothie is so rich and delicious, you would never guess it's packed with so much nutrition and protein. Start any day with Fat and  Happy love in your glass, you just may have to admit you like healthy foods.

Polenta with Ginger Mushrooms

In talking with a friend recently, she mentioned how she could use some help for extending her healthy cooking knowledge and skills. Quinoa salad is great, but seven days a week will wear on anyone's palate.

I choose to work with polenta because it's so tasty, versatile and easy on the pocket book. Serve it creamy with any kind of ragu or warm, savory topping and it's a hit. Or pour it into a pan and let it setup up (think jello with structure) then cut it into shapes for a Gluten Free bruschetta, sandwich bottom, or even for a new take on a crouton.

This savory ginger mushroom topping is a pleasant surprise. The ginger gives such a light, zingy punch that you don't typically expect with sauteed shrooms; it really moves the polenta out of the traditional Italian mindset.

Start with this healthy and satisfying Fat and Happy polenta dish and then see how many creative versions you can come up with.

Yummy Grilled Dessert Pizza

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Living the healthy life keeps me feeling energetic and youthful; but that doesn't mean I don't indulge in a treat once in awhile.
 
Someone suggested a dessert pizza at the end of a grilled pizza party the other night. It wasn't something I had planned but it only took me a about 30 seconds to start digging around for suitable toppings.

Almond butter spread across the pre-baked dough and then a layer of jelly made for a great sauce. A sprinkling of dark chocolate, coconut flakes and nuts became the topping. Finish the pie with a  couple of minutes on the grill to heat it all and crisp the bottom. Delicious and crowd pleasing!

Eat a mostly plant based diet and do get some exercise. And always remember that an occasional Fat and Happy treat keeps the dulls away.