It's getting close. You can almost feel it. Spring will soon be pushing winter out of the way so we can once again enjoy warm weather. While the official date is March 20th, you can actually enjoy a bit of spring tonight. Just imagine sitting down to a meal that whisks you away to a warmer time and place. If this sounds like something you'd like to do for your family, why not try the following recipes?

Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa
Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
8 pineapple rings, grilled and chilled
1 small red onion, finely chopped
½ of a jalapeno, seeded and minced

1. Season the chicken breast with the salt and pepper and grill on a grill pan until cooked through.
2. In the meantime, chop the pineapple and toss with the onion and jalapeno. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Top the chicken breasts with salsa and serve with a baked potato or baked French fries.

Tip: If you have small children, you may want to use even less jalapeno or add a bit of honey to increase the sweetness.

Chocolate Dipped Bananas
Serves 4

2 large bananas, cut in half
6 ounces of dark chocolate, melted
½ cup of shredded coconut, toasted
½ cup of macadamia nuts, chopped

1. Stick popsicle sticks into the flat ends of the cut bananas and freeze for at least 1 hour.
2. Dip the bananas in melted chocolate and sprinkle with coconut and macadamia nuts.
3. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and freeze until ready to serve.

Tip: You can choose any type of sprinkles you want. The coconut and macadamia nuts keep with the tropical theme of the main course. Just remember to stick with healthy ingredients, such as almonds or dried cherries.

Winter may still be beating on your door, but spring is only a few ingredients away.