Piña Colada Smoothie
By Faith Gorsky of An Edible Mosaic
Bursting with the tropical flavors of pineapple, coconut, and a hint of lime, this Vegan Piña Colada Smoothie is as easy to whip up as it is delicious and refreshing.
One of the things I love most about my daily morning routine is my breakfast smoothie. It’s a great way to get a healthy dose of fruit (and sometimes vegetables) early in the day.
If you already enjoy smoothies regularly or if you want to hop on the smoothie train, with the weather warming up now is the perfect time to do it. And this is a great smoothie to start with!
The Original Piña Colada
A Piña Colada is a pineapple, coconut, and rum cocktail, and it served as the inspiration for this smoothie. You can find Piña Colada cocktails served over ice, or blended with ice to form a thick slushy-like drink.
No matter which version of the cocktail you get, a Piña Colada will instantly make you feel like you walked onto a tropical beach! And this drink is every bit as delicious when it’s turned into a smoothie.
Healthy Piña Colada Smoothie Recipe
This delicious smoothie contains just pineapple, coconut, and a little bit of lime juice. There’s usually no need for added sugar because the fruit is sweet enough!
Not only is this recipe a good source of fiber and nutrients, but it’s also vegan, paleo, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and egg-free.
What Else Can I Add to This Piña Colada Smoothie?
To make it a green smoothie: Add 1 cup baby spinach leaves.
If you like nutty flavor: Add 1 tablespoon lightly toasted pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
To add healthy fat: Add 1 tablespoon chia seeds or 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal.
If you want to enhance the flavor: Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and/or 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract.
To bump up the protein: Add 1 scoop of your favorite unflavored (or vanilla flavor) protein powder.
If you want it sweeter: Add sweetener, such as agave syrup or maple syrup, to taste.
How to Turn This Piña Colada Smoothie into a Cocktail
For those of you 21 and older, just blend 3 ounces of white rum into the smoothie. Please drink responsibly!
How to Make This Smoothie Super Thick
If you like your smoothies ultra-thick, you can omit the pineapple juice in this recipe.
Piña Colada Smoothie
Yields 2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Ingredients:
3 cups frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup canned full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Optional Garnish Ideas:
Fresh pineapple wedge
Fresh lime wheel
Maraschino cherries
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth.
Serve with any garnishes you like.
NOTES
For the best flavor and texture, serve this smoothie immediately after blending. You can refrigerate it for up to 1 day, but it will settle and may need to be blended again.
