Tropical Detox Smoothie Recipe

I go through phases with smoothie drinking, usually in the summertime when I want something light and fresh for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up. My favorite smoothie to buy is the Detox Island Green from Tropical Smoothie Cafe, but frankly, I find it a pain to go there and they're also relatively expensive. I took to Pinterest to try and find a copycat recipe of the Detox Island Green, and surprisingly I came up short! I was surprised that there were no dupe recipes out there because it's one of their bestsellers, and typically you can find anything on Pinterest.

After Pinterest came up short, I set out to create my own version. And if I do say so myself, I think I nailed it, and then some. I love the tropical flavor of pineapple, mango, and banana combined, and they add the perfect amount of sweetness. It's extremely tasty and refreshing, the flavors of the fruit and ginger counteract the "green" flavor of the kale that some people find yucky, so if you normally don't like green smoothies, I encourage you to try this one! It has become my morning ritual while working from home, I make one every day.

Glass

First, I wanted to highlight the health benefits and nutritional content of some of the ingredients (disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, blah blah blah), as well as some of my ride-or-die smoothie tools (scroll down for the recipe)!

TL;DR: This smoothie is packed vitamins (particularly tons of vitamin C, A, and K), minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, as well as healthy fats and plant-based protein.

Blender (smaller, less expensive option here)

Kale: We all know that leafy greens are great for you! Kale in particular contains tons of vitamin C, A, and K, and a good amount of manganese. It's also full of antioxidants.

Pineapple, mango, and banana: These three fruits in combination provide TONS of vitamin C, folate, B6, potassium, and a variety of minerals. Banana is also low GI, and contains antioxidants.

Ginger: Ginger is a detoxifying hero with strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It's been used medicinally for centuries, and is often used to combat nausea.

Lemon: Lemon juice has been touted as a detoxifying ingredient for quite some time. As a citrus, it has lots of vitamin C, and studies have shown that its detoxifying properties may help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and kidney stones.

Chia seeds: These tiny but mighty guys are extremely nutrient dense. Chia seeds are rich in fiber, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus, and antioxidants. They're super easy to incorporate into your diet, you can throw them into just about anything.

Blender: If you make a lot of smoothies, then you NEED (and probably already have) a small personal blender like this one. It purees everything perfectly (even breaking down teeny tiny chia seeds), it's small and convenient for storage, and comes with different cups that you can blend in and then drink straight from. The size is also great for blending smaller quantities of things like salad dressings and sauces. It has suction cups on the bottom to keep it sturdily attached the counter while it blends.

Manual juicer: If you use a lot of citrus, I cannot stress the importance of a good juicer! Squeezing citrus just with your hands wastes so much of that valuable juice. A good manual "twist" type juicer is great, but these "squeeze" type ones are even easier to use, clean, and store. I like this one because it has two different sized squeezers built in that are sized perfectly for lemons and limes.

Peeler: If you're suffering through life with a dull peeler, STOP IT and buy this one. I used to have such a janky, dull peeler and I didn't realize quite how bad it was until I got this one. It makes peeling things like carrots, potatoes, beets, ANYTHING so much easier. For this smoothie, I use it for the ginger and it's so quick and easy.

Glasses: These are bougie and unnecessary, but they're my favorite stemless wine glasses that also happen to be the perfect size for smoothies, too. Obviously you don't need these, but I SWEAR by this brand for wine glasses (it's the only brand I buy), so why not get use out of them for smoothies, too? Anything to make life feel a little fancier!

Reusable thick straws: In case you've been living under a rock, reusable straws are all the rage these days. I like using these extra thick boba straws for thicker smoothies.

Tropical Detox Smoothie

• 1 c kale, packed
• 1/2 c frozen pineapple
• 1/2 c frozen mango
• 1/2 banana, fresh or frozen
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 c non-dairy milk or coconut water (or less, if you like your smoothie to be thicker)
• 1 T chia seeds

You know how to make a smoothie, just blend everything together to your desired consistency!

I've shared this recipe with friends and had rave reviews, I'm confident that you'll love it! Let me know if you try it, happy blending!

xoxx, Laura