Best Tropical Island Green Smoothie

This tropical island green smoothie recipe is simply the best! From the very first sip, the exotic fruit flavors will awaken your taste buds and instantly transport your imagination to a warm sunny island filled with music and good company.

While the world of green smoothies is generally a great way to maximize your nutrient intake within a single meal, this recipe is a rock star in this category.

Think of it as your post-workout smoothie, your green detox smoothie, and your immune booster smoothie all in one...what an awesome way to start your day or re-energize later on!

What Are the Health Benefits of this Delicious Smoothie?

First of all, this smoothie contains the perfect trifecta of healthy fats, protein, and carbs. It also contains no added sugar and is dairy-free.

Now let's talk about the nutritious ingredients:

1. The mango, pineapple, and ginger together create a cocktail of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that boost your immune system and support healthy skin.
2. The "green" in this smoothie comes from fresh baby spinach, which is a nutritionally dense food and high in calcium. Meanwhile, ginger helps your body absorb all of the good nutrients!
3. The collagen protein powder supports the structure of your skin, muscles, bones, and connective tissues.
4. Bananas are a good source of dietary fiber and can also help address muscle cramps during a workout, boost your energy levels, and lower blood pressure.
5. Since the fats in coconut oil are 65% MCT (medium-chain triglycerides), they are the perfect way to include a quick source of energy without adding more carbs.

Don't you love it when you find a delicious recipe that supports your health instead of hindering it? Now let's get on with making the best green smoothie recipe ever!

Ingredients

• Unsweetened almond milk - while any type of plant-based milk or dairy milk will work, almond milk has a neutral flavor that works well for smoothies because it doesn't overpower the other flavors.
• Baby spinach - this recipe is based on measurements for fresh spinach, but you could theoretically use frozen spinach. If you decide to go frozen, leave me a note in the comments section below on how it turns out!
• Ginger paste - while finely minced fresh ginger works just as well, you can make fresh ginger paste and freeze it in small portions for later use. Here's how to freeze ginger for cooking.
• Protein powder - look for a high-quality brand that uses minimal additives. I recommend Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides.
• Coconut oil - look for a product that is organic, cold-pressed, and unrefined. I do not melt the coconut oil before adding it to the blender, but if you find it doesn't blend well, you can melt it in a 900-watt microwave oven, using 30% power for about 40 seconds. Stir to melt completely. 
• Frozen mango - while you can use fresh mangos, freezing them makes your smoothie thicker and keeps the temperature cool.
• Frozen pineapple - as with the mangos, use frozen pineapple chunks.
• Frozen banana - a ripe banana will add more sweetness while a green banana will create an even thicker consistency. Here's how to freeze bananas for smoothies.

Instructions

Substitutions

• If you're not a fan of spinach, try using raw kale instead.
• If you are watching your sugar intake from fruits, you can use green bananas, which are regular bananas that are not fully ripe.
• If you prefer a creamy texture, you can use half an avocado instead of bananas and reduce the coconut oil to 1-2 tablespoons. This will change the flavor of the smoothie a little, but it'll still be good. Another alternative is to add 1 cup of Greek yogurt.
• If you don't like the taste of protein powder, you can try one that comes in a vanilla flavor. Alternatively, you could add one tablespoon of hemp seeds, chia seeds, or flax seeds for each serving.
• If you are looking for a dairy-free alternative to almond milk, oat milk or coconut milk also works well. Soy milk is okay, but it will alter the flavor more than the other options.
• If you prefer a thinner smoothie consistency, you can increase the liquids by ¼ to ½ cup.

Equipment

• A high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix blender, is ideal for creating a smooth blend, but a regular blender should be able to handle this recipe. You may need to take the frozen ingredients out of the freezer 5-10 minutes in advance to make them easier to blend.

Storage

• Surprisingly, this smoothie holds up well in the refrigerator for a few hours if you have leftovers or want to save some for others.
• You can also freeze this smoothie for future quick meals. Just let it defrost in the refrigerator the night before breakfast. Give it a stir before serving in the morning and you're good to go!

FAQ

Recipe