Tropical Sunrise Protein Smoothie (Print version)
Refresh with vibrant mango, pineapple, and banana blended with protein for a quick nutritious boost.
# What you need:
→ Fruit
01 - 1 cup frozen mango chunks
02 - 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
03 - 1 small banana, sliced
→ Liquids
04 - 1 cup orange juice, preferably fresh-squeezed
05 - 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
→ Protein
06 - 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (whey or plant-based)
→ Optional Add-ins
07 - 1 tablespoon chia seeds
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
09 - Ice cubes, as needed
# Directions:
01 - Add the frozen mango chunks, pineapple chunks, sliced banana, orange juice, coconut milk, and vanilla protein powder to a high-speed blender.
02 - For a thicker, colder smoothie, toss in chia seeds, honey or agave syrup, and a handful of ice cubes.
03 - Blend on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender once or twice as needed.
04 - Pour into two glasses and serve immediately. Garnish with a slice of fresh fruit or a light sprinkle of chia seeds if desired.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It takes literally five minutes from cupboard to glass, which is faster than waiting for toast.
- The tropical flavor combination masks the protein powder completely, so it tastes like a treat rather than a supplement.
02 -
- If you use fresh fruit instead of frozen, your smoothie will be thin and watery unless you add a full cup of ice to compensate.
- Adding protein powder after the liquid can cause clumping that no amount of blending will fix, so layer liquids first, then fruit, then powder.
03 -
- Freeze orange juice in ice cube trays and use those instead of plain ice to intensify the flavor rather than dilute it.
- A pinch of sea salt sounds strange but pulls out the natural sweetness of the fruit in a way you will notice immediately.