Pineapple Chips

Turning away from processed sugar is sometimes hard.  OK, it’s really hard.  I love sweets… candy, baked goods, and CHOCOLATE just to name a few.  When I let myself and family have too many treats I can feel the addiction!  And let’s be clear.  Sugar IS an addiction and one the food industry relies on to line their pockets and keep us coming back for more.    We all know that sugar is bad for us and especially highly processed candy and fruit snacks available on the market right now.  In an effort to reduce sugar intake in our house, we like to eat fruits.  Dried pineapple chips are delicious, sweet, and chewy.  It’s a good way to satisfy a sweet tooth craving.

I got my Nesco dehydrator a little over a year ago for my birthday and I’ve had fun playing with it.  I’ve made all sorts of dried fruit chips and have dried many vegetables and herbs to make my own seasonings.  It can be time consuming sometimes but it’s the kind of time consumption that is done while you go about your normal daily routine.  It’s pretty much a set and forget thing.  Someday I hope to try doing different jerky’s. 

Every once in a while King Soopers (or check your local grocery store) will have a killer deal on pineapple.  Pineapple is one of those fruits that is OK to buy non-organic.  I normally go for organic only on most fruits but there are some that are OK to buy non-organic.  They are usually referred to the “clean 15”.  You can find a list of them here. 

So one day King Soopers had a 10 for $10 pineapple sale.  There I am roaming the ailse with my 20 pineapples!  People probably though I was nuts!

The first step is to core and peel.   It takes some work to core and peel them and you end up composting a lot.  Once the task is done, simply slice whole rings or quarter the pineapple and slice.  I prefer the later as they make perfect little bite size pieces.  But I have also done the rings which are kind of fun for the kids.  Make sure your slices are about ¼ inch.  Line your trays with the pineapple slices, ideally not touching each other.  If you squish too much on one tray they will not dry evenly.  Set your dehydrator to “fruits” or about 135 degrees and let dry for 12-24 hours.  I usually check periodically to see how they are coming.  They are done when they are leathery and you are unable to squeeze any juice out.  Store in an airtight container for up to a month.  

You can also freeze them as well.  I have some we just ate that I dehydrated over a year ago.  We just pulled them out of the freezer and they taste great once thawed out.   Enjoy!