One of my favorite things to do to expedite recovery after a grueling workout (besides foam roll til the cows come home) is to eat fresh pineapple. On its own, added to my recovery shake or worked into a side dish, I love it. Besides being delicious, pineapple is a great inflammation fighter. It contains a natural enzyme called bromelain that helps reduce swelling, inflammation, excessive coagulation and bruising. I find that when I have pineapple after a hard workout, I have less muscular soreness the next day. Pineapple is also packed with Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that boosts immunity, helps build and repair tissue, metabolize fat and cholesterol and a host of other great things.
Compliments of domestic diva Martha Stewart, here’s a great way to enjoy pineapple with another superfood: sweet potatoes.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pineapple
Serves 4
2 sweet potatoes
1 medium pineapple, cored
2T vegetable oil
1/4t cayenne pepper
Coarse salt to taste
Peel the sweet potatoes and dice into 1″ chunks. Do the same with the pineapple.
Toss both with the oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and salt.
Roast at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until golden. Serve it as a side dish, add it to a salad whatever!
Enjoy!
Good luck to everyone running the Blue Ridge and London Marathons this weekend!
Who else is racing?
Love pineapple – didn’t know about it’s anti-inflamatory properties! Thanks for posting this recipe – looks delish!
i didn’t realize pineapple was an inflammation fighter, I need to start adding that!
Love Pineapple! Thanks for the tip! I’ve got a half in the morning, so I just might stop for pineapple on my way home!
holy crap that looks good. I’m pretty sure I could eat an entire pineapple in one sitting if I tried. I’m just a giant lame and am too lazy to buy a pineapple and actually cut it up.
Oh how I wish I had read this earlier in the day… I would get some to eat after my 11 mile run on Saturday… but I will know for next weekend now for sure.
Thanks, Marcia…. a Healthy Slice of pineapple is on my list!
I would never have thought to put those two together and yet it looks amazing. Looks like there might be pineapple and sweet potato on next week’s shopping list.
Yum, that looks good! Love grilled pineapple slices and love sweet potatoes. Never thought of combining them but will in the near future. Thanks!
I’m not a huge sweet potato fan but paired with some pineapple, it might just be tasty. I will try it!
Would you just come over daily and cook for me?!? You always have the best stuff! 🙂
I had no idea about the healing powers of pineapple. And, I love sweet potatoes, so I will be trying this!!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe – you never fail to amuse me with all these mix-ups! Oh and I love pineapples too! This new recipe is a new twist to my favorite and I bet it’s delicious!
This will go perfectly well after my marathon training program. Cheers!
Um – did someone send you from heaven to deliver this recipe to me?? I have had tightness and swelling in my hip I can feel recently (due to my lack of yoga too). After my 11 miles today – I am stopping at the store and eating this. Looks so perfect and delicious.
THANK YOU!!!
I didn’t realize about the bromelain in pineapple. Very cool!
Oh girlfriend, I need to try this, because I LOVE sweet potatoes and I love the idea of all those anti inflammatory properties of pineapple! Thanks for the suggestion!
Two of my favorite foods roasted together, genius! Thanks for sharing!
Mm… pineapple. I bet grilled pineapple and cherry tomato kabobs would be good, too! Im hungry now… love sweet potatoes, too.
I like potatoes and pineapples but not in the same dish.
Thank you for this interesting post.
No race here today but a wonderful sunday of rest!
What a great looking recipe!!
sounds delicious! thanks for the “shout out” at Blue Ridge. I just posted my race report the race. Thank You!
Yum!! I didn’t know that about pineapple, I love it but now I’ll eat even more!
I love fresh pineapple! I will definitely have to try that!
I had no idea pineapple did these things – I LOVE pineapple anyway and I am recovering. Now I will be eating more of it! Thank you so much for this recipe. It looks fantastic, and I can’t wait to try it out.