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This recipe combines mangoes, pineapples and coconut milk to create a refreshing tropical drink

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This tropical smoothie recipe is a blend of mango, pineapple, banana and coconut milk, all mixed together to create a creamy and refreshing drink. The perfect breakfast or snack option that's loaded with nutrients!
I love a cold smoothie on a hot day, I always whip up a peach smoothie, strawberry banana smoothie, or this tropical version that's full of fruit flavor.

My kids absolutely love smoothies, especially as an after school snack. We've been experimenting with different flavor combinations, and I have to say, this tropical smoothie recipe is our new favorite! It's full of tropical fruit with some coconut milk for a creamy texture and richer flavor. You can get all fancy with the garnishes like I did here, or simply serve it as is; either way it's sure to be a hit!

How do you make a tropical smoothie?

This smoothie is a combination of mango, pineapple, banana, pineapple juice and coconut milk. Everything gets blended together until you have a smooth and creamy drink. Pour your drink into two glasses, add some fun garnishes, then enjoy.

Tips for tropical smoothies

You can use refrigerated or canned pineapple juice for this recipe - either will work just fine.

I typically use canned coconut milk, which is located in the ethnic foods aisle of most grocery stores. You can also use refrigerated coconut milk, but it may not have the same thick and rich texture as the canned variety.

You can freeze your banana before you add it to the blender for an even thicker smoothie.

Smoothie variations

There are so many different ways you can change up this recipe to customize it to your tastes.

Liquids: Instead of pineapple juice, try coconut water, mango nectar or pineapple-orange-banana juice.

Fruit: You can add other fruits to the mix such as kiwi, papaya, or even strawberries.

Add Ins: Give your smoothie a boost of nutrition by adding spinach, kale, protein powder, flax seeds or chia seeds.

Are smoothies healthy?

This smoothie contains a lot of fruit, and those types of fruit contain many healthy benefits. Pineapples contain Vitamin C and manganese, mangoes contain Vitamin A and folate, and bananas are rich with fiber and potassium. While there is no added sugar in this smoothie, fruits and fruit juices naturally contain a fair amount of sugar. If you're watching your sugar intake, you'll want to keep your smoothies to a reasonable portion size and refrain from consuming them every day. That all being said, a smoothie is a much healthier option than a different frozen treat such as ice cream.

This tropical tastes like a Hawaiian vacation. Unfortunately I'm not going to Hawaii any time soon, but at least I can pretend that I'm there with this drink!

MORE SMOOTHIE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

This post was originally published on August 17, 2016 and was updated on August 27, 2019 with new content.

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This tropical smoothie recipe is a blend of mango, pineapple, banana and coconut milk, all mixed together to create a creamy and refreshing drink. The perfect breakfast or snack option that's loaded with nutrients! I love a cold smoothie on a hot day, I always whip up a peach smoothie, strawberry banana smoothie, or this tropical version that's full of fruit flavor.

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This recipe uses all different kinds of melons such as watermelon and cantaloupe alongside other ingredient to create a delicious fruit salad that enhances the melons flavor

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Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Honey

Melon is already fairly sweet in its simplicity, so you really don't need too much. Taste the melon beforehand and if you feel like the melon you chose is already really sweet, you can even use less honey than what I did. This might depend on how in season the melon is that you're buying, and how ripe it is.

Lemon juice

Any type of citrus juice is wonderful on melon. I used fresh lemon juice, but if you only have pre-squeezed lemon juice that's fine too. You can also use lime juice (if you must).

Melon cubes

I did decide to use a mix of melons (watermelon, cantaloupe and honey dew) because I thought the different colors would make it even prettier. And I wasn't wrong. After I tossed it and put it in the bowl it was a thing of glory.Simple, stunning and yummy. What more can you ask for?

Fresh mint

Fresh mint can usually be found at most grocery stores in the produce section. I'd recommend seeing if you can find organic mint to avoid any pesticides, but any mint is great. If you can only find dried mint, you can replace the ¼ cup chopped fresh mint with 1 tablespoon dried mint.

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This 4-ingredient Mint and Melon Salad recipe is delicious in its simplicity. It takes 10 minutes to make and is gluten-free and dairy-free!

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These bars combine strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to create an easy delicious sweet treat.

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Buttery crumb bars filled with mixed berries and a touch of lemon. This simple recipe uses the same mixture for the the crust and topping.
Hello, friends! I hope you are enjoying a beautiful summer weekend. I am stopping in to make a few suggestions for your 4th of July menu. Up first: Berry Crumble Bars!

I first made these Berry Crumble Bars several years ago. To be honest, they fell off my radar until I made them again recently for my daughter's birthday. I was immediately reminded how great they are, and I knew I needed to bring them to your attention right away.

Bonus: They are the perfect dessert for your 4th of July festivities. The colors are patriotic, every bite is bursting with summer flavors, and you can pack them up and take them wherever you are headed (pool, beach, lake, BBQ, etc).

Berry Crumble Bars

Crust and topping: A buttery, lemon scented dough is used as both the crust and topping. Press half of it into the bottom of a pan, and reserve the rest for crumbling over the fruit.

Berries! Here's where you can adapt this recipe to suit your taste (or whichever berries you have on hand). I like a mixture of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries (as pictured). You can absolutely use all of one berry or a mix of 2 or 3. Cornstarch thickens the berry mixture and a touch of lemon compliments the fresh flavors.

Tips for Berry Crumble Bars

Line your pan with parchment paper or foil for easy removal.

When grating lemon zest, only use the yellow part of the skin, not the white pith.

Mix up the berries to suit your tastes.

Chill these completely in the fridge before cutting, as this makes for cleaner slices.

Leftovers? Highly unlikely, but if you do have a few bars leftover, put them in the freezer and enjoy them another time.

These bars really are the perfect summer dessert. We like them straight from the fridge or at room temperature. And maybe, just maybe, you could justify eating one for breakfast. Fruit = breakfast food, right?

If you really want to take these over the top, you can serve them with ice cream or whipped cream. I happened to have vanilla blackberry swirl ice cream in my freezer, and it was the amazing on these bars. Vanilla ice cream or strawberry ice cream would also be great.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July! Check out the list below for more summer recipe inspiration.

Note July 2018: I changed this recipe just slightly. After a few comments requesting a larger quantity, I increased the recipe to make a 9×13 pan. I also added a bit of lemon to brighten the berry flavors.

Crust and Topping:
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Berry Filling:

For the crust and topping:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13 pan with foil or parchment, and butter or spray with non-stick spray.

Filling:

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine granulated sugar, baking powder, flour, and salt. Add lemon zest, butter, egg, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until the butter is evenly distributed in small pieces and the mixture is crumbly.

Dump a little more than half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup to evenly press the dough into the pan.

I used a combination of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. I chopped the strawberries, halved the large blackberries, and left the raspberries and blueberries whole.
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Gently stir together all ingredients until well incorporated.

Spread the filling over the crust, then crumble the remaining dough over the top of the berries.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes, until the top is light golden brown. Transfer pan to rack to cool, before cutting into squares. I have also refrigerated these, after cooling to room temp.

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Buttery crumb bars filled with mixed berries and a touch of lemon. This simple recipe uses the same mixture for the the crust and topping. Hello, friends! I hope you are enjoying a beautiful summer weekend. I am stopping in to make a few suggestions for your 4th of July menu.

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ROASTED PEARS WITH GORGONZOLA & HOT HONEY! 

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This recipe is unique because it uses roasted pears and combines it with more savory toppings rather than a sweet treat like other recipes.

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ROASTED PEARS WITH GORGONZOLA & HOT HONEY! Super fun holiday app or side idea—Literally so freaking delish—if you need an EASY tasty holiday app/side for parties this month—this one is IT! • • For the filling: 1 cup chopped gorgonzola cheese 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 tbsp fresh thyme • For the pears: 4 ripe pears, sliced in half then scooped out Salt Pepper 2-3 tbsp hot/spicy honey • For the toppings: Chopped dried cranberries (optional) Baby arugula Black pepper Extra hot honey (optional) • • 1️⃣Preheat the oven to 425. 2️⃣Add the cheese, walnuts and thyme one at a time to a cutting board. Chop each item a few times, then continue to add and chop until well combined.3️⃣Add the pears to the baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, then add a couple spoonfuls to each pear half. Add a generous drizzle of hot honey, then bake for 12-16 minutes. Cover if needed 4️⃣Place the pears on a plate, add a small amount of arugula, then some cranberries, if using and black pepper. Add extra honey if you wish. • • #pears #fallrecipes #inseasonnow #tastemade #appetizer  #todayfood #mealprep #holidayappetizers #appetizers #holidayrecipe #glutenfreefood #vegetarian #wholefoodsmarket #goodmoodfood #healthycooking #sidedish #easyrecipes #recipeoftheday #cookfromscratch #pearrecipe #saladrecipe #salad

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@starinfinitefood
ROASTED PEARS WITH GORGONZOLA & HOT HONEY! Super fun holiday app or side idea—Literally so freaking delish—if you need an EASY tasty holiday app/side for parties this month—this one is IT! • • For the filling: 1 cup chopped gorgonzola cheese 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 tbsp fresh thyme • For the pears: 4 ripe pears, sliced in half then scooped out Salt Pepper 2-3 tbsp hot/spicy honey • For the toppings: Chopped dried cranberries (optional) Baby arugula Black pepper Extra hot honey (optional) • • 1️⃣Preheat the oven to 425. 2️⃣Add the cheese, walnuts and thyme one at a time to a cutting board. Chop each item a few times, then continue to add and chop until well combined.3️⃣Add the pears to the baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, then add a couple spoonfuls to each pear half. Add a generous drizzle of hot honey, then bake for 12-16 minutes. Cover if needed 4️⃣Place the pears on a plate, add a small amount of arugula, then some cranberries, if using and black pepper. Add extra honey if you wish. • • #pears #fallrecipes #inseasonnow #tastemade #appetizer #todayfood #mealprep #holidayappetizers #appetizers #holidayrecipe #glutenfreefood #vegetarian #wholefoodsmarket #goodmoodfood #healthycooking #sidedish #easyrecipes #recipeoftheday #cookfromscratch #pearrecipe #saladrecipe #salad
♬ original sound - Caitlin Latessa-Greene

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This recipe combines lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges to create a delicious jam preserve for bread and toasts

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Easy Citrus Jam brings in the sunshine

Our winter has not been bad at all this year. For people who like to work with seasonal ingredients though, February in the Northeast can be a challenge. But Easy Citrus Jam fixes that!

We can't grow citrus fruit outdoors ever up here in the Northern states, so this is one case where we have to rely on the seasonality of ingredients from other regions. I make no apologies for enjoying citrus fruit in the winter. It helps a person feel more cheerful and that's always a good thing you know?

The preserves from last year are nearly gone

Perhaps like me, you are finding that your supply of homemade jams and jellies from last summer and fall is starting to run out. Most years, I make lots of preserves like Blueberry and Raspberry. Last summer was a challenge for growing fruit though. The weather was wonky and that kept the supply lower than normal. So, maybe like us, you need something to get through to that first batch of strawberry preserves. That's still a few months away here in Upstate NY. This fast and easy Citrus Jam is the answer.

Easier than marmalade

This is not marmalade. Marmalade is far more trouble. You have to zest all the fruit, remove the bitter pith, steep the peels overnight, and so on. I love marmalade, but it's a lot of work. Easy Citrus Jam It is way easier than making marmalade, and it still has amazing flavor. Just section up the fruit, get it all in a pot with some sugar and in an hour or so, you are ready to put some sun-shiny into the jars - not to mention on your toast!

I used a combo of red grapefruit, mandarin oranges, lemons and limes, but you can switch the proportions out however you like. Sectioning the fruit, also called cutting supremes, is a little fiddly, but making sure you have a very sharp knife makes it pretty easy, once you get the hang of it.

Cutting the fruit into "Supremes"

Begin by washing and drying the fruit. Cut off the ends, until you can see the ends of the sections. Set the fruit on one of the cut ends, and use your knife to remove the peel in strips, following the contour of the fruit as you go down the side. When you get done peeling, you will see where each section meets the next. Cut between the membranes to remove the sections of fruit, leaving the bitter membranes behind. Squeeze as much juice as you can from the membranes, as well as from the skin you removed, which will still have some bits of fruit on it.

The grapefruit are big, so they're pretty easy to section. I didn't even bother with the mandarins - I just peeled them and cut across into slices. If you're using regular oranges [Cara-caras are really good in this jam] you'll section them like the grapefruit, lemons and limes. Once the fruit is prepared, the rest is a breeze.

Easy Citrus Jam

I do want to note, that the sweetness of citrus varies quite a lot. Obviously, you can't taste the hot jam, because it's roughly the temperature of boiling lava. So, when it's cooled off, you can taste it, and if necessary, add some honey, if it is too sharp for you.

And, as noted in the recipe, you may can it if you wish, but kept in the coldest part of your refrigerator, it will stay fresh for several months.

So good on English Muffin Bread or maybe this Anadama Bread.

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This Easy Citrus Jam is ready in no time! Bright delicious flavor & no need for canning, because it keeps in the fridge for months!

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This Recipe combines all different types of drupes including cherries, apricots and peaches in a delicious baked cobbler

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I added fresh, ripe nectarines and apricots to this sour cherry pie. These fruits are drupe fruits meaning they are fleshy with a hard stone or seed in the middle. The pie was summery and delicious! I really like to use turbinado sugar--it's less processed and has a good flavor--but white sugar would be fine, too.