GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- We cooled things down this warm Thursday with the help of the Gold Nugget Tavern & Grille in Minnetonka. They have a delicious menu packed with cool, crisp summer salads perfect on these hot days.

Thursday morning, chef Eli Renn dropped by our kitchen to share his recipes for grilled pineapple salad and a grilled pineapple pina colada.

Gold Nugget Tavern & Grille
14401 Excelsior Boulevard
Minnetonka
(952) 935-3600
goldnuggettavernandgrille.com

Grilled Pineapple Salad with a Honey Pineapple Vinaigrette

12 oz of Spring greens salad mix
3 length wide slices of a fresh pineapple
¾ cup of fresh strawberries quartered
½ cup of Feta cheese crumbled
¼ cup of roasted pumpkin seed (pepitas)
2 avocados sliced and pitted
For the vinaigrette
2 tbl spoons honey
I teaspoon paprika
¼ cup fresh pineapple grilled
¼ cup pineapple juice
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil

Start with the vinaigrette. Add all ingredients except for oil into a blender. Blend until smooth, then slowly add oil while blender is mixing, until emulsified.

In a bowl toss salad greens strawberries and pumpkin seeds, with vinaigrette. Place on plates and top with the rest of the ingredients.  Makes 2-3 servings.

Grilled Pineapple Pina Colada

2 cups ice
¾ cup grilled pineapple diced
2 ounces pineapple juice
2 ounces Coco Lopez cream of coconut
3 oz white or dark rum
Pineapple slices for garnish 

Peel and thick slice ½ of a fresh pineapple. Grill on each side 2-3 minutes. Cool pineapple. Separate and dice ¾ cup grilled pineapple. Put ice, diced grilled pineapple, juice, coconut cream, and rum into a blender. Blend until smooth and frosty. Pour the drink into two glasses and garnish with remaining grilled pineapple.

 

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