Even thought the Irish weather is far from tropical this summer, we can still bring a taste of the tropics to our mornings with this delicious tropical green smoothie. The tropical flavours are provided by coconut water, pineapple, mango and lime which go so well together and pack a delicious and light flavour punch. The green is provided by our reliable friend, spinach.
I love pineapple for the taste but also because it containes bromelain. Bromelain is an enzyme that is understood to assist in digestion. Mangos are a good source of dietary fibre and vitamin A. Spinach is nutrient dense, being a great sourse of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese and folate. Lots of green vegetables have quite strong tastes and often that is why people who aren't used to green smoothies can be a little put off by them. However spinach doesn't have a strong flavour and when combined with other ingredients such as pineapple and mango, the taste is totally masked. This makes spinach a great option for those starting out on green smoothies and for child friendly smoothies.
I include coriander in this smoothie as a way to supercharge my smoothie. I always like to include something additional such as a nutritional herb, seed or spice. Coriander is a great source of vitamins A and Vitamin K. These are fat soluble vitamins that are essential for healthy vision, blood clotting and bone formation. Herbs contain phytochemicals which are said to help prevent cancer and other diseases. Coriander has quite a distinctive citrus and earthy taste so if you dislike the flavour, just leave it out but if you like coriander, I really think you will love this smoothie.
Ingredients:
1 cup of coconut water
1 cup of spinach
1 cup of pineapple, chopped
1 cup of mango, chopped
1/2 a banana
1/4 cup of coriander leaves
Juice of half a lime
Method:
Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Best served immediately, but can be kept in the fridge in a glass airtight container for up to 24 hours.
