When you're ready for a taste of the tropics, it's this recipe to the rescue! It's a Creamy Tropical Kiwi Smoothie that's filled to the brim with bright, tangy kiwi flavor guaranteed to chase the winter blues away. Freeze your kiwis ahead of time so they're ready the minute you start craving something exotic!
This is always a tricky time of year for me. It still feels like winter outside, but I'm so ready for summer! Inevitably I start dreaming up fruity, tropical dishes that will make me feel like I'm sitting on a beach somewhere instead of putting on yet another layer before venturing outside. This Creamy Tropical Kiwi Smoothie is the perfect way to bring summertime into my day!
This is a naturally creamy smoothie. It's so thick it's almost like sorbet, and you could easily eat it as a smoothie bowl with a spoon and some granola sprinkled on top! Honestly, it is delicious with just the kiwi but you can add coconut milk for even more tropical flavor and to help your blender along. If you ever make Coconut Whipped Cream, save the excess coconut liquid from the can and use it in this smoothie!
Fresh Tropical Fruit at Sprouts
Sprouts is my go-to grocery store for so many reasons! In addition to having bulk bins and a wide selection of vegan and allergy-friendly foods, they keep an incredible selection of fresh produce at really low prices. I love browsing the Sprouts Produce Department for tropical fruit, especially right now when I'm craving sunshine and summertime! I found not only kiwis at Sprouts but also dragonfruit, gooseberries, star fruit...it's a breath of fresh air!
All About Kiwi
I really love kiwi fruit! They have a rough, fuzzy exterior (which technically you can eat!) but they're juicy and sweet on the inside. Kiwis are low in calories and fat while being high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. While shopping, look for kiwis with a slightly firm texture and rough, fuzzy skin. Store them at room temperature, preferably in a darker area like the pantry or under the sink.
How to Peel a Kiwi for Tropical Kiwi Smoothie
There are all kinds of tricks out there to peel the fuzzy skin off a kiwi to get to the juicy, tart fruit inside! You can do it by just cutting the very top and bottom off, then slicing the skin off vertically. You could also cut the ends off, then gentle wiggle a spoon between the skin and the fruit and push it around the outside. The kiwi will slide right out!
Can You Freeze Kiwi?
Yes! In fact, that's exactly what I did to make this delicious Creamy Tropical Kiwi Smoothie. Peel your kiwis, slice them into quarter-inch rounds, and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them in the freezer overnight or until they're frozen solid! From there you can transfer them into a freezer-safe storage container or put them in the blender to make this tropical smoothie.
This smoothie recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. If you're excited about this Creamy Tropical Kiwi Smoothie, you'll love my cookbook Rock Your Blender! It's filled with exclusive smoothie recipes you won't find on the blog and it's now available on Amazon!
More Smoothie Recipes
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Download my Smoothie E-Book: Rock Your Blender for my favorite smoothie recipes of all time. The smoothies in this cookbook are exclusive content not offered on the blog!
Rock Your Blender cookbook is also available in PRINT on Amazon!
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Creamy Tropical Kiwi Smoothie (vegan + paleo + Whole30 + gluten-free + nut-free)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Creamy Tropical Kiwi Smoothie is filled to the brim with bright, tangy kiwi flavor guaranteed to chase the winter blues away.
Ingredients
- 12 kiwis, skin removed, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
- ¼ cup unsweetened, plain light coconut milk
- Optional: 1 lime zested and juiced
- Optional: handful of fresh mint leaves (large stems removed)
Instructions
- Arrange kiwi slices in one even layer on a large baking sheet linked with parchment paper. Allow space between each kiwi slice so they do not freeze together. Place the baking sheet in your freezer overnight (or until kiwi is frozen solid).
- Place frozen kiwi slices and coconut milk in a high speed blender. Blend from low to high speed while using the blender's tamper/plunger inserted into the lid's hole. Push the frozen kiwis in tho the blades until the smoothie reaches a creamy smooth texture.
- Add lime zest, lime juice and mint if using. Blend again until well incorporated.
Notes
Make sure to use a baking sheet that can fit inside your freezer.
If using lime, you may need to balance out the sour/tart lime flavor with a drop of maple syrup. This will depend on how sweet your kiwis are. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Smoothie
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Tropical
This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. All opinions are my own.
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