Wait till you taste how good this Tropical Smoothie Cafe Island Green recipe is!
I was blown away by how quickly my entire family sucked down this delicious, bright green smoothie, even after they knew that there was kale in it!
We have a Tropical Smoothie Cafe about 5 minutes from our house, and I have never been inside. Just not my thing.
But when I had the opportunity to recreate their famous Island Green Smoothie at home, I got to researching and learned that the ingredients are very clean! Shame on me for assuming that a place like that would be adding sugary powders to their smoothies.
Duplicating this popular tropical smoothie recipe is easy to do at home, and it’s quickly become our family’s favorite smoothie!
What’s in this Tropical Smoothie Cafe Island Green Recipe
Here’s what’s in the Island Green:
- Banana
- Mango
- Pineapple
- Kale
- Spinach
- Coconut water
How to Make this Tropical Smoothie Cafe Island Green Recipe
Put all of your ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor on high speed and blend! It’s that simple.
Pour your smoothie into a glass and enjoy immediately, or refrigerate and save for later.
Should you use fresh or frozen fruit for this Island Green Smoothie?
There are three advantages to using frozen fruit in smoothies:
1. Frozen fruit replaces ice cubes, creating a frosty consistency without watering down the flavor of the smoothie.
2. Frozen fruit is much less expensive than fresh fruit.
3. Frozen fruit is available year round vs. seasonally. (I don’t know about you, but I can’t find fresh mango or fresh pineapple in my grocery store in January.)
I recommend buying frozen pineapple and frozen mango for this recipe. Some people also like to chop and freeze their banana. That’s up to you, but it’s not necessary.
And although I like to use frozen fruit, I’d also recommend using fresh spinach and fresh kale.
Can you use other liquids besides Coconut Water in this tropical smoothie cafe island green recipe?
The coconut water is what gives this smoothie its tropical flavor, and it’s super low in calories! But yes, you can use other liquids.
Almond milk, coconut milk (from a carton because canned coconut milk will be too thick), orange juice or even plain water are fine substitutes for coconut water.
Do you Need a Fancy Blender to make this tropical smoothie cafe island green recipe?
In order to break up the kale and really get that creamy texture you see here, a high-powered blender is a good idea.
I actually do not like my blender at all. I won’t call out the brand, but let’s just say it’s not a Vitamix and it’s not a Ninja. It’ll make a smoothie, but I can’t even get it to process pesto sauce properly.
I resort to using my food processor for when I need power.
Is this Island Green Smoothie Healthy?
The Island Green smoothie is chock full of nutrient-dense ingredients, from the tropical fruits to the dark, leafy greens:
- Spinach: high in vitamins A, C and K as well as a good source of magnesium and iron.
- Kale: even higher in vitamin C than spinach! Kale is also rich in antioxidants, vitamin K and beta-carotene.
- Banana: a ripe banana is a great source of potassium, fiber and magnesium and great for digestive health.
- Mango: high in dietary fiber and low in calories, mangoes are rich in antioxidants and vitamins E, A and K.
- Pineapple: promotes healing and aids digestion because it’s rich in manganese, calcium and zinc.
- Coconut water: an excellent option for hydration and very low in calories, coconut water is high in electrolytes and sodium.
What’s the difference between an Island Green and an Island Green Detox?
Tropical Smoothie Cafe makes an Island Green Smoothie and a Detox Island Green Smoothie. The only difference between the two is that the Detox Smoothie adds fresh ginger.
Ginger is believed to have detoxification properties because it helps to cleanse the body of toxins and move waste through the body more efficiently.
To incorporate fresh ginger into this Island Green Smoothie, add 1-2 teaspoons to your blender when you process the other ingredients.
Variations/Substitutions
1. Fruit juices: For a fruitier flavor, experiment with various juices like pineapple juice, orange juice or passionfruit juice in place of coconut water.
2. Add some seeds: Incorporating a handful of chia seeds or hemp seeds to your smoothie adds heart healthy Omega-3s and antioxidants.
3. Enrich with protein: Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to enrich your healthy smoothie.
4. Sweeten it up: We’re using only natural ingredients and no added sugar here! If you need a little extra sweetness, try a drizzle of honey or natural maple syrup.
5. Make it a smoothie bowl: Layer your Island Green Smoothie in a bowl with your favorite granola and chunks of fresh fruit for a filling meal any time!
How to Make Ahead and Store your Island Green Smoothie
I love meal prepping this green smoothie in advance. It stores beautifully. You can double or even triple the recipe and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
I like to portion it out into individual mason jars and seal each one with a lid. When we are ready to enjoy a smoothie, we just shake the jar vigorously, open the lid and we’re good to go. It’s a great way to start the day!
If you have any leftover smoothies, you can do the same thing – store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator and enjoy them at a later time. Just be sure to give them a good shake before you drink them.
When you make this tropical smoothie café island green recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more healthy recipes, try these:
- Egg White Turkey Bacon Sandwich (Starbucks Copycat)
- First Watch Chia Pudding Bowl (Superfood Recipe)
- Easy Mango Smoothie Recipe (No Yogurt or Dairy)
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Easy Island Green Recipe (Tropical Smoothie Cafe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 banana
- 1/2 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 cup kale
- 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a blender. Process until smooth.
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