Caribbean Pineapples are in season right now, from December through February, and then we get to look forward to Hawaiian pineapple season starting in March with their peak in April and May! So yum!! And the fresh basil blended with the pineapple, lime juice & ginger, makes this drink a burst of freshness right out of the Tropics! And talk about anti-inflammatory goodness!!

I am loving the $3 pineapples at our nearby Winco (like a Food 4 Less). And while they are not organic, as I have been hard pressed to find organic pineapples anywhere out here in the Oregon countryside, these $3 pineapples are ripe, juicy, and so delicious. My secret to finding a good pineapple? Smelling the bottom, if you catch a whiff of sweetness, it is ready for eating. If there is no smell, it will need to ripen for a few more days. I like to pick pineapples that are firm, and just on the verge of being a teeny tiny bit soft on the bottom, but not too soft! Once they are soft all over, they are sometimes already too ripe and moldy inside. The sniff test works well for me every time! I often by a few pineapples at a time, and let them ripen on the counter as needed. I get around 4 cups of fruit from each pineapple. HERE are some tips on picking & cutting up the perfect pineapple.

Note: I did stock up on a few pounds of dried organic pineapple slices which I keep in the fridge downstairs, and in a pinch you can soak some dried pineapple slices for a few hours or overnight when you don’t have a perfectly ripe pineapple on hand. And Winco is a great place to find organic fresh basil year round too.

Basil Bomb Green Smoothie: 

• 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 1 handful fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 to 1 inch ginger root
• 1/2 cup water (or almond milk)
• optional: 1 teaspoon sweetner
• 1 cup ice

Blend ingredients together in a high speed blender. Once well blended, add in ice and blend. Serves 1 to 2.

And here is the other blissful smoothie of the moment around these parts:

Sweet Pineapple Cinnamon Smoothie:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• optional: 1 handful baby spinach

• 1 cup ice

Blend ingredients together in a high speed blender. Once well blended, add in ice and blend. Serves 1 to 2.