Tropical Pineapple Coconut Banana Smoothie

It doesn’t take much to put me in the mood to make some smoothies. A warm day and the motivation to pull out the blender are all I really need – and the warmer the day, the more likely I am to want to pull out that blender! Once it’s out, of course, you still need to figure out what to throw in there. Fortunately, almost any fruit will do.I gave this smoothie a tropical twist. I started with ripe bananas, fresh pineapple and shredded coconut. I added some plain yogurt and coconut milk to give it a creamy texture, and the coconut milk enhanced the flavor of the shredded coconut. I ended up blending in a little bit of sugar, as well, but the smoothie has a nice natural sweetness on its own.

It’s light and refreshing, and definitely a tropical start to the day if you make one of these with breakfast. You just need a little umbrella (and maybe a plane ticket!) and you’re ready for a little escape – at least, I know I was!

Tropical Pineapple Coconut Banana Smoothie
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 medium banana
1/2 cup crushed or chopped pineapple
1/4 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup ice
(optional) 2 tbsp sugar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend at the highest speed until smooth.
Pour into two chilled glasses.

Serves 2