Grilled Pineapple Salad

Grilled Pineapple Salad

A friend of mine recently shared with me that she is currently on a very strict nutrition plan, not eating any meat, dairy, grains or oil. I made a promise that I would make a salad to fit her needs specifically, noting that it would be hard as those of you that have been following my Blog, know that I absolutely LOVE cheese in my salads (and olive oil for that matter). However, not only was this salad fun to make because I felt as though I had a purpose in creating something dietary specific for a friend, it also happened to be the week before I decided to adopt the Paleo diet (for at least two weeks, we'll see how long I actually last) so dairy, sugar and grains are out for me too.

I served this salad with some turkey burgers we grilled to my boyfriend and his business partner. Neither of them are salad lovers, so the fact that they went back or seconds meant a lot to me. The grilled pineapple inspiration came from another friend's husband, who during a July 4th BBQ mentioned how he often seasons his pineapple before grilled with cinnamon and nutmeg. I gotta say, I think that tip made the salad. Thanks, Peter!

Pre salad prep:

• Sprinkle pineapple spears with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
• Lightly coat red onion in Balsamic Glaze (I use Modenaceti, found at Whole Foods because I'm too lazy to make my own Balsamic reduction)

Grill pineapple and onions (we have a charcoal grill) for 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. 

While pineapple and onions are on the grill, combine the following in a large mixing bowl:

• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 oz roasted and salted pecans, crumbled
• 2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar (the white balsamic vinegar is a little sweeter than regular and works well with the pineapple)
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Remove pineapple and onions from the grill, and top the mixed greens mixture. Viola! Hope you all enjoy as much as we did.