Unfortunately (or fortunately…?) my mind is soaked with sarcasm. Like an industrial-sized sponge, this brain absorbs words and sentences and out drips pure, sarcastic musings a lot of the time. I’m very internal, so thankfully most of these stay enclosed. And I want to look like I’m a very put together human being most of the time, so these are for me, my brain, and people who I know are just as or more sarcastic as I am, which are all my friends and loved ones. Like people share like brain wavelengths.

A lot of the time people do and say things that are just totally unnecessary and warrant sarcasm. You know what I’m talking about. Those words, actions, blow-ups, one-uppers, arguments, top-offs that make you say nothing but “REALLY, MAN?!” These can also be a lack of actions as well. But most of the time the people that commit these mundane crimes do it to blow up their ego, feel better about themselves, compensate or prove a point. Really, man? Why? Daily life is filled with unnecessary-isms.

Just like those recipes that call for massive quantities of ingredients that are totally unnecessary to make them taste good (disclaimer: some recipes, such as cake, that require 2+ sticks of butter or 3 cups of sugar, necessitate heaping amounts of said ingredients to make them delicious). In fact, sometimes this heaviness masks the true flavor and essence of purely delicious items such as pineapple. My eyes glazed over when I first read the title of this recipe, because I am such a sucker for pineapple it’s sad. But then I read my lovely Bon Appetit recipe, and read on, and realized it has..what?! a half cup of brown sugar? Unnecessary.

Below I’ve included both versions, the lighter but still entirely flavorful version I used, and the other one. Do what you feel like, or whatever sounds most appetizing and pleasing to your senses. Either way, we know where my mind is going.

Honey roasted pineapple with pistachios and yogurt

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Notes: this is a super easy, classy, and totally delicious dish to serve pretty much whenever. Including breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

2 tablespoons brown sugar

zest and juice of 1 orange

2 tablespoons honey

1 medium ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1/3 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

Pomegranate seeds, for garnish

 

Set oven at 450 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silipat liner. Stir first 3 ingredients in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Add pineapple; toss to coat. Let marinate, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes. Place pineapple, one flat side down, on prepared sheet; reserve marinade.

Roast pineapple for 15 minutes. Turn, brush with marinade, and roast until tender and caramelized, 10–15 minutes. Drizzle half of remaining marinade over, and mix the rest with the crème fraîche or yogurt; let cool slightly.

Divide pineapple among plates. Spoon crème fraîche or yogurt sauce alongside. Garnish with nuts, pomegranate seeds, and mint.