Tropical Island Green Smoothie

This Tropical Island Green Smoothie is made with a refreshing blend of frozen fruit, spinach, and a splash of coconut milk. One sip and this smoothie will have you dreaming of the tropics!

This Tropical Island Green Smoothie, if only for a few minutes, helps me forget that we’re in the midst of a global pandemic, that my kids, who are less than enthusiastic about school these days, will be distance learning for the remainder of the school year, and that in the midst of all the school madness, my toddler gives me heart palpitations every 5 minutes. 

Life is especially crazy, unpredictable, and challenging at the moment, but if distance learning and kid struggles are the extent of my stress, I consider myself extremely fortunate. There is so much to be grateful for, and I’m trying to appreciate the small joys these days, like having extra time in the kitchen to create.

This Tropical Island Green Smoothie is an older recipe on the blog, but the photos needed a refresh, and  I wanted to bring it back to the front page because I think we could all use a little tropical escape right now. With orders to stay at home and no plans to vacation any time soon, I’ve been dreaming of white sand beaches, palm trees, crystal clear waters, and soaking up the rays of sunshine with a refreshing fruity beverage in hand.

Tropical Island Green Smoothie Ingredients

 This Tropical Island Green Smoothie will have you feeling all of those vibes. All you need are a few key ingredients:

• Frozen fruit: Strawberries, pineapple, mango, and banana are my go-to options. I wanted a good variety of especially sweet fruits, but if you aren’t a fan of any I listed, feel free to add more of what you like in its place. Also, you can customize the smoothie depending on the fruit you have on hand! 
• Spinach: What better way to eat your greens than blending them into a refreshing smoothie! I love to use spinach in my smoothies because of its mellow flavor and soft texture that makes it ideal for blending. Kale works well too!
• Lime juice: Use it to give the smoothie a refreshing, tangy kick. Substitute in lemon juice or pineapple juice.
• Coconut milk: The coconut milk gives the smoothie that authentically tropical flavor and an extra smooth and creamy finish. I used coconut milk from the carton, but canned coconut milk, or even coconut water are good substitutes. 

Throw it all into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If you find the blender is working extra hard, but the mixture is at a standstill, add in another splash of coconut milk to get things moving. 

Why is my smoothie so bland?

As a kid, whenever I’d go out to eat with my parents, they’d order me a special treat from the bar, a virgin strawberry daiquiri. This tradition did two things: It solidified my love for fruity adult beverages that I’d come to adore once I was of legal drinking age, obviously. And it helped me develop discernment for the flavor and texture of the ideal daiquiri. Since daiquiris and fruit smoothies are quite similar, I’ve taken what I’ve learned from all the bland daiquiris I’ve had over the years and applied that knowledge to craft this Tropical Island Green Smoothie.  Here are 2 main reasons why your smoothie is bland:

1. The smoothie is lacking sweetness. Sometimes, fruit alone won’t provide enough sweetness unless the fruit is very ripe or very sweet to begin with. For this smoothie, I chose a variety of fruits that are substantially sweet on their own to avoid the need for any sweetener. However, if ever I feel my smoothie is lacking sweetness, I may add a bit of honey, maple syrup, or fruit juice to the mix. 
2. The smoothie needs acidity. In my opinion, a splash of acidity is essential. Whether its juice from a lime, lemon, orange, or pineapple, the acidity balanced with the sweetness gives the smoothie a tangy kick and it really brings out the flavors of the fruit.

Perfecting the texture of the smoothie

Ever sipped a watered down smoothie filled with sad chunks of fruit and unblended bits of ice? Yeah, it’s the worst.  To ensure the smoothest, creamiest texture, here are a few pointers:

1. Use frozen fruit instead of fresh fruit. This is an absolute must. Frozen fruit reduces or eliminates the need for ice which tends to water down smoothies. If you have fresh fruit, pop it in the freezer for a couple hours. When blended, frozen fruit becomes unbelievably creamy while giving each sip an icy finish.
2. Use less liquid or add more fruit. Smoothie making is a balancing act. Too watery? Add more frozen fruit. Too thick? Add more liquid. Did the flavor change after those adjustments? See the flavor tips above! 
3. Use a high-powered blender. I realize this isn’t always feasible, but a high-powered blender really makes all the difference. You can have the perfect frozen fruit to liquid ratio, but if your blender can’t break it all down, you’re in for a chunky smoothie. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since we’re using frozen fruit in this smoothie. Frozen fruit chunks > little ice chunks. Let me say, the texture of my smoothies improved significantly once I purchased a Nutribullet. 

Now that you have way more smoothie tips than you thought you ever needed, do yourself a favor this weekend and make this smoothie. The kids will love it, and if you want to jazz it up for the adults, a little vodka or rum would be a welcome addition. Then, stake out your spot on your favorite lounger and just escape to the beach for a few minutes. You deserve it!

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