Frozen banana and fresh pineapple carry almost the entire flavour of this smoothie on their own, creating a sweet, thick base to the point that the blended kale is barely noticeable in taste. Coconut milk adds creaminess, while a couple of tablespoons of shredded coconut add texture and a tropical touch that stops the whole thing from tasting like a simple fruit smoothie. The order you blend in matters more than it seems: starting with the frozen banana lets the blender break it down before the kale goes in, keeping the finished drink smooth rather than stringy. About thirty seconds at full power is usually enough to get an even, thick consistency, cold enough to eat with a spoon if you'd rather not drink it quickly. This smoothie makes a hearty breakfast on its own, or a filling snack on a hot afternoon, when a cold, thick drink is more tempting than something to chew. Compared with a simple pineapple-coconut smoothie, the kale adds bulk and a slightly deeper green tint, without changing the drink's sweet, tropical character.
Ingredients
- 330 g fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
- 2 to 3 ripe frozen bananas
- 240 ml coconut milk (add a little more for a thinner texture)
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
- 50 g kale leaves
Method
- Put the frozen bananas in the blender first, then add the pineapple, kale, shredded coconut and coconut milk.
- Blend at full power for about 30 seconds, until completely smooth.
- Pour and serve immediately, well chilled.
Tip
Remove the tougher central rib from each kale leaf before adding it to the blender: even a powerful blender can leave small fibres behind if the stems are blended whole. Tinned coconut milk gives a noticeably richer, thicker result than the carton kind; if using carton coconut milk, slightly reduce the amount of liquid added so the smoothie doesn't turn out too thin.
