Living in Kansas City, smack dab in the middle of the country, I think I’m officially about as far away from the ocean as possible.
Sometimes, I wish I lived closer.
Don’t get me wrong. I have grown quite fond of our rolling plains over the years, which out over the horizon as far as the eye can see. I love driving through the Flint Hills, with the beautiful jagged limestone carved into the Kansas prairie. I love our lakes and rivers here, especially the Arkansas River (pronounced our-Kansas in Wichita), which was the home for festivals, high-school canoeing, and many a family bike ride growing up.
But.
As much as I wholeheartedly love this Kansas home that I was born into, there’s still a very special place in my heart for the ocean. And the warm, salty breezes that blow across the beaches. And the lush, colorful plants that grow wild on the shores. And the sweet, rich, delicious tropical fruits that the sun warms to perfection. Mmmm, especially those mangoes. If I had a mango tree in my backyard, I think my life would be complete.
Alas, as long as I live in the Midwest, that will probably never happen. Which apparently just means that I need to save up for more beach vacations. ;) But in the meantime, when the tropical craving hits, thankfully a trip to the frozen foods section of my grocery store can provide some beachy-inspiration in no time with this tasty treat:
My 5-ingredient tropical smoothie.
Yes, I say the frozen food section because — very unfortunately — ripe fresh mangoes are incredibly hard to come by in the Midwest. Sure, they’re always there for sale sitting in the produce bins at the store. But after studying abroad in the “City of Mangoes” in Costa Rica, where you could pick a ripe, soft and decadently rich mango off any tree on the street, let’s just say that the bins of fruit picked overly-early and shipped hundreds of miles to our grocery stores in Kansas City rarely compare.
But by contrast, I have learned that the frozen mangoes — usually picked at their peak of freshness — actually aren’t half bad. Same goes for the frozen pineapple. So over the past year, I’ve gotten in the habit of keeping frozen mangoes and pineapple in the freezer. And then when I’m feeling particularly restless about living in the Midwest, or am just craving a tropical-inspired treat, I’ll whip up this simple 5-ingredient smoothie.
Can you guess the ingredients?
In rainbow form, we start with fresh bananas, then frozen pineapple, frozen mangoes, a fresh orange, and…the last ingredient?
Coconut water! I’m obsessed with the stuff, and always keep it on hand as a nice natural source of electrolytes to drink during and after workouts. But as it turns out, coconut water also is the perfect light tropical liquid for blending up smoothies!
Just toss all of your ingredients in a blender and puree them to perfection…
…then serve it up with a nice side of sunshine (and some cocktail umbrellas, if you’re — ahem — feeling especially nostalgic for the ocean).
Quick, easy, sweet, naturally vegan and gluten-free, and SO tasty.
If I must live as far away from the ocean as possible, I’ll make do with one of these smoothies any day. :)
5-Ingredient Tropical Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 orange, peeled and quartered
- 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup coconut water (or fruit juice)
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- (optional: 1 teaspoon chia seeds or ground flax seed)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
I’m in LOVE! This smoothie sounds and looks divine!
I can’t wait to try it and transport to a summery tropical island paradise!
Thanks Ellie, I hope you enjoy it! : D
Looks delicious. Very thirsty now. Thanks for sharing.
This looks amazing! Going to try this soon! Definitely need to get myself some little umbrellas for the summer time! :)
xx
Thanks Sammy-Jo, I hope you enjoy it! And those little umbrellas are such fun, aren’t they?
Mmmm looks like the perfect tropical, healthy smoothie to me! I’m currently trying to decide between Blendtec or Vitamix… I see you have a Blendtec. Anyone have any recommendations either way for me?? Can’t wait to make this in my new blender!
I just got back from a beach vacation, and while I love home.. there’s definitely something special about being right beside the water. Guess this smoothie will have to do until I’m able to move beach side ;)
Josh – The Kentucky Gent
https://thekentuckygent.com
I was born in KCK !! Moved to Georgia when I was 7. I love mangos too! My daughter studied abroad in Costa Rica last summer but I’m not sure if she was able to enjoy fresh mangos. Thanks for a great recipe! It sure sounds yummy!!
That’s so cool Jeanette! Have you been back to KC since you moved? Hope you love the smoothie! : )
i have been making smoothies almost everyday and this is going to be in the mix!
Even though I live in California, I’m still not as close to the coast as I’d like. At least 2 hours of traffic sit in between me and the beach, and I’d give anything to live in a house right on the edge of the sand! (And if it sat in Hawaii or the Bahamas, that’ just be the icing on the cake — or the cherry on top of the tropical smoothie!) I love your insights about frozen mangoes being almost as good as fresh. I’ll have to remember that during my next grocery store trip!
Thank you Amy, I hope you enjoy the smoothie! : )
I love the coconut water tip! I’m not a fan of dairy in my smoothies, so I usually just use a splash of plain water to thin things out. I like your idea way better!
Thanks Jessica, I hope you enjoy this one! : )
I also added natural yogurt and
Okay so I live in Tampa, FL. We have water everywhere around here and some really great beaches. I don’t think I’ve had a smoothie by the beach that’s as beautiful as this one. Love the color, love the ingredients! I will definitely be making this all throughout the summer.
Thanks Jennifer, I hope you like it! Cheers! : )
I’m with Maria… I think we need a tropical blogger vaca! Also I’m so with you on the frozen mango…ripe ones are just too hard to find here.