I’ve spent the last 11 years of my life traveling around the beautiful country of Mexico. I’ve spent time at the beaches, living in the swamp country down in the south, traveling through the desert, and getting to know this amazing country.
If there is one thing that Mexicans know how to do well, it is make a great fruit shake. You can find tropical smoothie and fruit shake sellers on just about every street corner, and each has their own unique blends to try.
Tropical fruit abounds in the country, and you’ll find amazing, delicious fruits here that you’ll find nowhere else!
Here are some of my favorite tropical smoothie recipes from my travels. Some are great smoothie recipes for weight loss, while others are just tasty treats to enjoy when you want a cold drink.
Buen provecho! (Means “bon appetite” in Spanish)
Tropical Paradise
This is a smoothie that I love, and it’s one that nearly every fruit shake seller in Mexico City recommends. There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day!
Ingredients
- ½ pineapple
- 2 oranges
- 1 mango
Preparation
- Cut the pineapple in half, and remove the hard core from the center.
- Peel the mango with a knife, and cut the flesh from the seed.
- Squeeze the oranges into the blender, pop in the fruit, add plenty of ice, and blend.
Mexican Limeade
This is one I tried in the “Central de Abastos” in Mexico City, and I loved it despite the fact that I’m not a huge avocado fan. It’s a creamy limeade that is absolutely fantastic.
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
- 6 limes
- 2 tablespoons of sugar or honey
Preparation
- Cut the avocado in half, and remove the seed (the Mexicans have a neat trick of sticking the blade of the knife in the hard seed, and simply twisting the knife to pop the seed out).
- Use a spoon to scoop the flesh of the avocado from the hull, and add it into the blender.
- Squeeze the limes into the blender, add the sugar, some water, and plenty of ice, and blend to get a deliciously creamy and filling limeade.
My Banana Milk
This is similar to regular banana milk (one of my favorite drinks of all time), but it has the little tropical twist of coconut to make it even healthier and tastier – if such a thing were possible!
Ingredients
- 1 young coconut (with water still inside)
- 3 bananas
- 1 cup of milk (low fat or lactose-free are my favorite)
Preparation
- Peel the bananas, put them into a plastic Ziploc bag, and put them in the freezer.
- Only remove them once they are frozen solid. (Using them when they’re frozen makes your smoothie come out like ice cream.)
- Use a screwdriver to stab two holes into the coconut, and pour the water into the blender.
- Add the three bananas and the cup of milk.
- Crack open the coconut, and wrestle out about ¼ of the coconut meat.
- Add it into the blender, and blend to make your coconut-banana ice-creamesque smoothie!
Passionate Berry
I had never tasted passion fruit before I came to Mexico, but I loved it from the moment I experienced it. Making it into a smoothie with some tangy berries will make it absolutely delicious, and a tiny drop of honey brings out the sweetness in this healthy tropical smoothie.
Ingredients
- 2 passion fruits (maracuya, as they are called here)
- ½ cup of raspberries
- ¼ cup of strawberries
- ¼ cup of shredded coconut
- t2 cups of soy milk
- ¼ cup of Pecan nuts
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Preparation
- Cut the passion fruits in half, and scoop out the pulp from the middle.
- Put the pulp into a strainer, and use a spoon to gently press the pulp through the strainer.
- You want to get as much of the pulp through as possible, as that will remove the seeds.
- Add the pulp into the blender, along with the soy milk, pecan nuts, strawberries, and raspberries.
- Blend with ice and honey for a tangy, slightly sweet smoothie that will blow your mind!
Minted Lemonade
This one may not be as rich or filling as you like, but nothing cools you down better on a hot day than this fantastic lemonade. If you can’t find both limes and lemons, just use lemons for a delicious taste.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 2 limes
- 3 or 4 mint leaves
- Honey
Preparation
- Squeeze the limes into the blender, and add the mint leaves and honey into the cup as well.
- Grate the zest of half the lemon into the blender, and squeeze the lemon juice in as well.
- Add water to dilute the lemon juice, and blend.
Life Hack: For your healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss, use soy milk. Not only is it a good-tasting alternative to real milk, but it has more protein and less cholesterol. I’ve started adding soy milk to my smoothies, and it gives them a richer, creamier taste!
Green Mango-Gurt
This one may sound weird, but it’s the perfect green smoothie for those that want to try odd and new things. It tastes great, is loaded with nutrients, and will help to fill you up without adding too many calories to your daily diet.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of unsweetened yoghurt
- 1 mango
- 1 handful of spinach
- 2 tablespoons of honey
Preparation
- Peel the mango, and use a knife to cut the flesh from the seed.
- Add the flesh into the blender, and drop in the spinach, yoghurt, and honey.
- Add just enough water and ice to make it cold and creamy, and blend well.
These are some of my favorite tropical smoothie recipes for weight loss, as well as for pure pleasure when I want something tasty to enjoy. Leave a comment of what your favorite tropical smoothie recipes are…
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