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A strawberry pineapple smoothie is delicious ; not too sweet, but sweet enough.

A mixture of strawberries, pineapples, yogurt and milk makes this a drink for any weather or occasion.

We have made our smoothie a little bit special by melting chocolate for strawberries and sitting them on the rim of the glass.

Strawberries have been cultivated as far back as Roman times so there is nothing new in enjoying this small red fruit. Their appearance as well as their taste makes them a welcome companion at any table.

There are many variety of strawberries but I would suggest you buy a local variety as these will be fresh. It's difficult to buy on appearance as the greenest strawberry can be very tasty. Buy and eat them on the same day if possible although they can be stored in the fridge for one or two days. Frozen strawberries are never the same after defrosting because their texture collapses, but they are excellent to use in their frozen state for smoothies.

A Pineapple is one of the most distinguished fruits in looks. They were discovered by Christopher Columbus on his travels to the West Indies in 1493. He was so taken aback by its outstanding looks and how deviously sweet this fruit was, he knew he had to share it with the rest of the world. It became a fruit for the rich to decorate their dining tables and impress their guests' taste buds. Fortunately today pineapples can be enjoyed by everyone.

Choose a plump pineapple that feels heavy : the leaves should feel fresh. Use the fruit as soon after purchasing as possible. Alternatively slice the pineapple, then cut the skin off and core the middle with an apple corer before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Personally I would never freeze pineapple as they just don't taste the same when defrosted.

So Why is a Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie Good For You?

Strawberries - vitamin B and C, potassium, iron and fibre

Pineapples - vitamin C, rich in fibre and bromelain which is an enzyme which helps digestion

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Melting Chocolate for Strawberries

Before we make our strawberry pineapple smoothie, I will show you how melting chocolate for strawberries is sooooo easy. First of all you will need a bag of chocolate buttons or chocolate chunks.

Before you buy, decide if you want white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate. Buy chocolate that you like to eat because if you don't enjoy the chocolate before it's melted you won't enjoy it after it's melted.

Place your chocolate buttons into a microwavable bowl. Melt your buttons in the microwave using the defrost setting. Give it about 90 seconds and then stir the chocolate, as it may need less/longer depending on how many chocolate buttons you are using.

Take a strawberry with leaves intact and roll the tip of the strawberry into the melted chocolate so that only half the strawberry is covered. Allow it to cool before serving. Would you agree with me that melting chocolate for strawberries is easy?

Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie

• 1 cup of strawberries
• 1 cup of pineapples
• 1 carton of yogurt
• 1 cup of semi skimmed milk
• a few spoons of cream for the top
• 2 or 3 chocolate strawberries for decoration

Blend together ingredients and serve in a tall glass with one or two spoons on the top and a few chocolate strawberries sitting on the rim.

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