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 Green Smoothie a great post workout snack or breakfast on the go, it is also perfect served alongside Instant Pot Chicken Tacos, Mexican Chicken Skillet, or Jerk Pork Tenderloin.
Tropical Kale Smoothie
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 a Pina Colada Smoothie, just minus the orange juice with added greens.
Ingredients
- 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, it is 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 breakdown. You can see here how to properly slice a fresh pineapple.
- Banana–The banana is added for it’s natural sweetness. The riper the banana, the sweeter the result! You can use frozen or fresh banana. If you use frozen pineapple.
- Pineapple Juice–Pineapple juice also adds sweetness to this smoothie and helps the smoothie blend up into a creamy concoction.
- Coconut Milk–Use canned coconut milk for the best flavor. Full fat or reduced fat coconut milk both work perfectly.
How to Make a Green 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 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 in the pineapple and banana. Be sure both of the fruits are in chunks that are no larger than 1 inch. If you are using 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.
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 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
- Cherry Smoothie
- Mango Ginger Smoothie
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
- Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
- Sweet Potato Smoothie
Tropical Kale Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/2 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
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.
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.
Kristen Chidsey
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