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    Home » Real Food » Beverage Recipes

    Tropical Kale Smoothie

    January 9, 2020 | By Kristen Chidsey | 4 Comments | *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Drinking your greens has never been more delicious! This Kale Smoothie, made with pineapple, coconut milk, bananas, and kale, takes on a tropical vibe that goes down easy! This is a healthy smoothie that is dairy free, plant based, and vegan friendly--but most importantly delicious!

    Drinking your greens has never been more delicious! This Kale Smoothie, made with pineapple, coconut milk, bananas, and kale, takes on a tropical vibe that goes down easy!

    Not only is this Tropical Green Smoothie a great post-workout snack or breakfast on the go, but it is also a perfect compliment to meals like Instant Pot Chicken Tacos or Mexican Chicken Skillet.

    Glass of green smoothie with kale in background

    We all know that incorporating more greens into our diets is said to be beneficial to our overall health.

    And for years, I have seen people drinking nasty green concoctions that are void of flavor in an effort to up their intake of greens. Well, give me a Spinach Salad or Kale Salad any day over those smoothies!

    However, when greens are added with the RIGHT ingredients, they can create the most delicious smoothie. And that is EXACTLY what this Tropical Kale Smoothie is--DELICIOUS!

    Made with pineapple, banana, coconut milk, and of course kale, this green smoothie tastes like a cocktail worthy of enjoying on a beach. It is a lot like my recipe for Pina Colada Smoothie, just minus the orange juice with added greens.

    Notes on Ingredients & Substitutions

    • Kale: I know this is a Kale Smoothie, but honestly, spinach works perfectly in this green smoothie recipe. If using kale, be sure to remove the woody stems of the kale. Not only are they hard for the blender to break down, but it is also the most bitter part of the kale and can leave your smoothie tasting bitter if not removed. Baby kale is best, as it breaks down easier and is less bitter.
    • Pineapple: You can use frozen or fresh pineapple. If using fresh pineapple, be sure to remove the core of the pineapple, as it is hard for a blender to break down. You can see here how to properly slice a fresh pineapple.
    • Banana: The banana is added for its natural sweetness. The riper the banana, the sweeter the result! You can use frozen or fresh bananas.
    • Pineapple Juice: Pineapple juice also adds sweetness to this smoothie and helps the smoothie blend up into a creamy concoction. Be sure to use 100% pineapple juice. You can use jarred, canned, or refrigerated pineapple juice for this smoothie. In fact, I oftentimes drain canned pineapple that is canned in 100% juice and use that in this smoothie.
    • Coconut Milk: Use canned coconut milk for the best flavor. Full fat or reduced-fat coconut milk both work perfectly.

    How to Make a Kale Smoothie

    This smoothie is as easy as placing everything into the blender and blending well, ALMOST that easy. There are a few things to keep in mind that will help your smoothie come together smoothly, regardless of the power of your blender.

    • Place your liquids in the blender first, this will help the blades of your blender be able to move around freely.
    • Next, add the pineapple and banana. Be sure both of the fruits are in chunks that are no larger than 1 inch. If you are using a frozen banana, I would use fresh pineapple. If you are using frozen pineapple, I would use fresh pineapple. That way your smoothie won't be too thick. If you use all frozen fruit, your smoothie may turn out more like a milkshake.
    • Finally, add in your greens.
    • Blend on high speed until smooth and the kale is completely broken down and blended into the smoothie. If you have a less powerful blender, you may need to stop every minute and push down the fruit and blend again.
    Blender with coconut milk and fresh kale

    My last piece of advice that is EXTREMELY important, is to enjoy your Kale Smoothie immediately. I have placed leftover kale smoothie in the fridge and blended it up to enjoy later in the day and found it bitter. As the kale sits, it can give a bitter aftertaste to the smoothie, so this is best enjoyed within 30 minutes of making.

    More Delicious Smoothie Recipes

    • Blueberry Smoothie
    • Mango Smoothie
    • Cherry Smoothie
    • Pina Colada Smoothie

    If you gave this Kale Smoothie a try, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below. 

    Glass of Tropical Kale Smoothie with pineapple and banana in the bathroom

    Tropical Kale Smoothie

    An easy, plant based tropical green smoothie made with pineapple, coconut milk, bananas, and kale.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Beverage
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 413kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup coconut milk
    • 1 cup pineapple juice
    • 1 banana cut into chunks, (fresh or frozen)
    • 1 cup pineapple chunks fresh or frozen
    • 1 cup baby kale
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • In the base of the blender, add the coconut milk and pineapple juice. Add in the banana, pineapple and kale to the blender. Place the lid on the blender and blend until smooth and creamy and the kale is broken down completely. Serve immediately.

    Equipment Needed

    • Blender

    Notes

    • The nutrition values are based on full fat coconut milk. 
    • Coconut Milk: Canned is best, lite or full fat coconut milk can be used. 
    • Fresh or frozen bananas or pineapple can be used. I do not recommend canned pineapple. 
    • Feel free to use spinach in place of kale. And baby kale is best--it breaks down easier. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 3526IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 4mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
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    Categorized Under: Allergy Friendly Recipes, Beverage Recipes, Dairy-Free Recipes, Plant Based Recipes, Real Food

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Meagen Brosius

      February 02, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      I've been looking for new smoothie recipes for busy mornings and this is one of my new favorites. So easy and delicious and no dairy which is a huge plus for me! Yum!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 02, 2020 at 5:17 pm

        I am so happy you enjoy this smoothie Meagen!

        Reply
    2. Denay DeGuzman

      February 02, 2020 at 3:24 pm

      5 stars
      Following your recipe, my husband whipped this up in the kitchen for us before we poured it into insulated cups and headed downstairs to the beach. Wow, was it delicious!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 02, 2020 at 5:24 pm

        That sounds like a perfect treat--and so jealous of the beach! Glad you enjoyed Denay!

        Reply

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