Smoothies are a great way to blend up a lot of fruits and vegetables that you might not otherwise have regularly. Unlike juicing, blending up greens like kale or fruits like pineapple keeps the beneficial fiber. It’s also a lot easier to have for breakfast than a handful of green leaves.
You’ll need a good blender for this kale and pineapple smoothie recipe but if you don’t have one already, why not?
Blenders are not only brilliant for making smoothies, you can also easily wizz up soups and shakes, pulse them for chopping up salsas and pestos and even make some great cocktails if you need a little less than healthy inspiration. I wouldn’t be without mine in the kitchen and have found it excellent at pulverizing greens and pretty much anything I throw at it.
Ahead is how to make a great tasting yet extremely healthy super tonic smoothie. It’s really good for breakfast first thing to start your day off with some oomph and also excellent as an afternoon pick me up to get you out of a slump.
Coconut in Smoothies
Don’t be tempted to avoid or go light on the coconut oil in this smoothie, thinking it’s better for you without the fat. It’s not and here’s why.
Firstly, you need healthy fats in your diet and coconut oil is one of the best you can get as you’ll see ahead.
Secondly, many of the antioxidants in this smoothie are fat soluble and require fatty acids taken at the same time for optimum assimilation.
Thirdly, having a good source of beneficial fats in this smoothie slows down its digestion and helps to prevent blood sugar spikes.
Pineapple, Coconut and Kale Smoothie Recipe Ingredients for Two
- To start, cut the skin off half a small pineapple or a third of a large one, cut it into thick slices and chop these up well enough for your blender’s blades to handle, then throw them in the jug.
Make sure you keep the core of your pineapple as this is the part with the most fiber and bromelain, a digestive enzyme that is very good for you. Pineapples are also an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C and the mineral manganese which is a vital co-factor in enzymes that your body uses for energy production.
- Add a good handful of kale, preferably organic or soaked in hot water and vinegar to minimize sprays.
You may have heard of kale as the new wonder food with an amazing roll call of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients contained in its mild tasting, deep green leaves. All the publicity kale has been receiving in recent years meant production has gone up and this superfood green is becoming a more common sight in the supermarkets.
Kale is especially high in vitamin K for healthy blood and bones, proper brain function and reducing inflammation throughout your body. Many of us are believed to be deficient in this important vitamin but this smoothie is an easy way to get a big dose of it.
It is also rich in many antioxidant carotenoids (that can convert to Vitamin A when needed) and an amazing array of other beneficial flavonoids that support good health and disease prevention throughout your body.
- Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
Faulty research decades ago labelled coconut oil as a ‘bad’ fat. We now know that the saturated fatty acids in coconut oil like lauric acid and capric acid are extremely good for you and can actually help promote weight loss.
The medium chain fatty acids in the oil of coconuts are different from most other kinds of saturated fats. They are far more likely to be utilized as energy than stored as body fat and they stimulate higher metabolism to help you lose weight.
- Throw in 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut.
Shredded or desiccated coconut has similar health benefits to coconut oil, in a less concentrated form. It also contains particularly beneficial fiber that helps clear out your digestive tract and improve its environment to favor the good intestinal bacteria that are so vital for a well functioning immune system. Along with the pineapple, it helps add a tropical flavor to the smoothie as well.
- Use 1 apple, skin on and washed if it’s organic, peeled if it’s not as apples are a heavily sprayed crop.
Apples are an extremely healthy fruit, full of antioxidant flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin. These flavonoids act to decrease oxidative stress within your body, one of the primary causes of diseases and aging.
Unfortunately most of these nutrients are found just under the skin so it would be worth keeping it on, except that apples are one of the most highly sprayed crops and are also usually coated in wax. Soaking them in hot water and vinegar and scrubbing them well may help remove most of the sprays and waxes but get organic and unwaxed apples where ever you can. They are worth it as it seems there’s quite a bit of truth to the old ‘an apple a day’ saying.
- Pour in 1 cup of real, unflavored, bio-live yogurt (not the sugar saturated ‘fruit’ varieties).
Real yogurt can help populate your digestive tract with more beneficial bacteria that are important for the proper assimilation of nutrients, strong immunity and good general health and energy levels.
- Pour enough coconut milk, almond or hazelnut milk (not soy) or organic cow’s milk if you tolerate it, into the blender jug to reach up to half as high as all of the rest of the ingredients.
How to Make Your Smoothie
Once you have all your ingredients in your blender’s container (and in this order is a good one to add them in), simply blend it all up on high until the consistency looks right to you. You can add a couple of ice cubes if you like if your blender can handle it, or a little extra milk if it’s too thick.
Pour into cups and drink immediately for a delicious, healthy and energizing drink. It’s quite filling too and can make a good meal replacement, particularly if you’re having smaller more regular meals for weight loss.
Conclusion
I definitely could have added a lot of other different things to this pineapple, coconut and kale smoothie but this page would have been very long. I’d love to hear some of your suggestions for other healthy ingredients you like to add into your smoothies and what you think of this one if you make it up for yourself.
I’m allergic to apples, pears, and peaches. Can I leave the apple out, or is there something I can substitute?
Hi Starla,
Of course you can. I’ve made this smoothie up with papaya before and it tastes great and has even more digestive enzymes.
Hope this helps.
Tried the Gogi berry, lime, coconut smoothie — using my Vitamix. No dessicated coconut on hand, though. Used Trader Joe’s light coconut milk and added frozen raspberries, a little pineapple, and chia seeds. Very good! Hubby loved it. Going to keep this recipe for continued use! Thx.
Tomorrow, will make the kale-pineapple smoothie. Have made my own version before but never w/ coconut oil & coconut milk. Looking forward to trying!
Hi Linda and thanks for trying the recipes. Glad you liked the goji berry smoothie and I hope you like the kale and pinapple smoothie recipe too. I’m quite a fan of unsweetened desiccated coconut as it’s really good for your digestive system and intestinal environment. Chia seeds are a great edition though and definitely worth adding.
Hi im getting married in 5 months im 180 i need to lose weight fast!! I want to know other good smothies that can help me lose weight on my stomach … Please help me!!
Hi there,
The best way to lose weight in my opinion is to cut down on the amount of simple carbohydrates you eat. This article has the details – https://healthambition.com/cutting-carbs-lose-weight/
Hiya, I have a few questions. Just wondering how long to soak non-organic fruit and veg in hot water and vinegar for, and how much vinegar to use? Is it safe to then use the outer layer of fruit/veg (I’m thinking apple, carrot, beet) or should I still peel? Thanks for your time 🙂
Hi Karen,
I usually soak them for a minute or two in hot water and a good splash of vinegar. It’s good to use bowls that aren’t too large if possible so as not to dilute the vinegar too much.
With apples, an extra scrub with a scrubbing brush can help with the wax that is usually coating them or to clean beets and other veggies. Generally it’s better to leave the skins on once they’re clean.
Carrots really should be organic as they absorb toxins directly into them as explained here – https://healthambition.com/making-carrot-juice-better-health/
Hope this helps.