Today I decided to take a break from my usual green smoothie for breakfast and go with an all-fruit smoothie.
I recently cracked open a couple of fresh coconuts, and I still had some coconut water left, so I decided to use that, as well as some of the coconut flesh. The result was a beautiful, creamy, fruity smoothie with a hint of vanilla.
Blueberries and coconuts are both superfoods. Blueberries are considered one of the best foods for fighting free-radicals and repairing cell damage thanks to the anthocyanins they contain, which also give them their blue color. They also have anti-inflammatory properties, protect against dementia and are great for the eyes and memory, especially as we get older. They also contain resveratrol which protects us against cancer and heart disease. Coconuts contain the most heart-healthy oils of any food. Prunes are good for the digestion, they help nourish the friendly bacteria in your gut. They also contain lots of beta-carotene, and lower cholesterol. Cinnamon helps to even out blood-sugar levels and prevent mood swings. So this smoothie is not only delicious, but awesomely good for you.
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut water
3 cups water
3 bananas, fresh or frozen, peeled
handful of fresh coconut meat
1-1/2 cups blueberries, frozen
3-4 prunes (or 1 tablespoon of honey or agave syrup)
1 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 teas natural vanilla extract
Instructions:
Put about a cup of water and the prunes into the blender and process until the prunes are well blended. The prunes will add sweetness and can be replaced by honey or agave syrup, you can adjust the amount you add to suit your taste.
Pry a handful of fresh coconut meat from the shell. If the coconut meat still has the brown inner shell on one side cut it off. A sharp knife will work but I like to use a vegetable peeler. The fresh coconut can be a bit slippery because of all the beautiful coconut oil it contains, and I feel like the vegetable peeler is a lot safer than using a knife, and it works just as well.
Add the fresh coconut, and all the other ingredients and blend until smooth. Drink immediately.
world health
yeah…..it is my favourite drinking, thank
Javi
Hi,
There’s nothing better than fresh fruits/juices for your smoothies 🙂 I dislike prunes a bit, but choosing cinnamon and vanilla extract is a win-win combo, definitely.
This recipe might be perfect for breakfast too..mmm…
Thanks!
Javi
Donna
Hi Javi. In this recipe you can’t really taste the prunes, they just add some sweetness and ‘thickness’ to it. They are really healthy for you too, more antioxidants per weight than blueberries. So between the prunes and blueberries this smoothie is very high in antioxidants.
Sara
Hi there! This sounds like exactly what I’ve been looking for. But what if I don’t have fresh coconut meat? Can it be left out, or is there a substitute? Thanks!
Donna
Hi Sara, the coconut meat helps to thicken this smoothie. But instead you could use something like chia seeds, and let it sit to thicken for about 10-15 minutes. Chia seeds are a superfood that I really love. They will sustain you for a long period of time, and have a great healthy omega fats profile. You’ll have to experiment with the amount, but probably not more than a tablespoon to every 2 cups of smoothie you make. If you can get good quality coconut oil put a tablespoon or so of that in and it will help thicken and provide some of the texture of the fresh coconut milk. If you try it and feel like posting back with what you did and how it turned out that would be great!