Well, the fall is upon us and we’re looking sadly at the pool and the swimsuits and talking about the process of closing everything up for the year.
We did our annual Topeka Zoo visit (it’s a great zoo for little ones, by the way — short and sweet and can be accomplished before naptime), which says to me that the end of summer is here.

I’m trying to use the grill while the getting is good because soon it will be over and I’ll be loading up the oven with casserole dishes and overusing the crock pot. So here’s one last summery recipe for you to enjoy before you turn your attention to squashes, sweet potatoes, roast beasts and hearty soups.

I love fresh pineapple about as much as I love any food, and I look for lots of opportunities to use it, especially when I get a good deal on a fresh one at the store. And grilled pineapple? Oh help me. It’s nature’s candy. Load me up. Plus, it seems wrong, but you can eat as much pineapple as you want on Weight Watchers for zero points! ZERO.

So I wanted to be sure to spend time with my beloved pineapple before the summer ended, and a Hawaiian kebab is the perfect way to have a nice, light meal that packs a big flavor punch. Shall we?

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2013/sep/22/261974/

Hawaiian Kebabs
3 boneless chicken breasts or 6 chicken tenders

Handful grape tomatoes
1 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 red onion
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Cut your chicken into hunks and set aside in a shallow dish. Mix up the marinade ingredients (soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, Sriracha). Cover the chicken with the mixture and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut up your vegetables and pineapple and arrange your kebab-making station. I like to put everything in separate bowls so I can easily create balanced kebabs and tailor them to certain eaters who may not eat onions or peppers, etc. Also, if you are using wood or bamboo skewers, soak them in water while you cut vegetables.

Go ahead and assemble your kebabs to your liking, alternating vegetables, chicken and pineapple.

Grill over direct heat, medium temperature, for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally. This is easier if you have a grill basket and you just have to turn it over once. The stuff on a kebab tends to spin around and be difficult to turn, so a basket makes this process a little less frustrating.

I served this with some white rice. That’s all you need — the protein, fruit and vegetables are all on the kebab. This is great for me, since I hate doing dishes. Don’t you agree? Even my kid and my Mr. Meat and Potatoes will happily eat this, even though the meal is overtly and unapologetically healthy. Winning!