All natural, real food ingredients blend up into a tasty, sweet concoction that kids of all ages will love.
As I continue on this dairy-, soy-, sugar-, grain-, and alcohol-free diet, I find myself considering my own children’s regular fare. I thought they were eating pretty healthfully, but my recent label reading has revealed that I was slightly mistaken.
First, please understand: I don’t believe that any food that God made is bad. What we’ve done to it in the production or processing of it is an entirely different story. That is what befuddles and frustrates me.
I find myself at another cross-roads. The food supply in our country is complicated. Food should not be complicated. Trying to figure out what to feed your family should not be complicated, but it is.
I’m abstaining from sugar for a season. While I do so, I see and hear my children’s cravings for the same. I’d like to think that I’ve been reducing their sugar intake, but as I read more labels, I realize how much hidden sugar is in foods I would consider “healthy”, including nitrate-free sausage from the health food store. Tons of meat products have sugar in them!
In my efforts to curb our sugar cravings, I’m transitioning our sweets to be those that God made, like smoothies, homemade juices, fruit for dessert, etc.
This smoothie full of naturally sweet mango and banana fills the bill quite nicely. Even me, the one with Banana Issues, likes it. Try it and let me know what YOU think. Better yet, tell me what your kids think.
Coconut Mango Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 ripe bananas sliced
- 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks do not thaw
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup crushed ice
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract omit for whole 30
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately.
- To make-ahead: freeze the smoothie in a freezer-proof container with a lid. Thaw at room temperature until desired thawing is achieved.
Notes
Nutrition
Sara K.
I made this for breakfast this morning! I made a few substitutions which worked well. I only had full fat coconut milk so I did 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk. I had a bag of “tropical fruit” in the freezer. Originally it had strawberries, mangoes and pineapple but I think we have picked most of the strawberries out! So for fruit I added frozen banana chunks, mango and pineapple. I also added 1/4 of an avocado (also frozen), some oats and a small drizzle of honey (I’m a big sugar addict so I am working on phasing out extra sweetness but I’m not quite there yet!). With all the frozen fruit, I didn’t need to add any ice. And I forgot the vanilla! It was delicious though and a nice break from my typical chocolate flavored smoothies! 🙂
Jessica Fisher
Sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer
Can’t have coconut milk. What can I use instead?
Jessica Fisher
Buttermilk or regular milk would probably be fine.
Deja
One of our all time favorite treats is Banana Milkshakes…frozen bananas and milk. That’s it. Sometimes, I get all crazy and add some unsweetened orange juice and pretend it’s an Orange Julius.
Jimmie
You are so right. I consider myself pretty smart about nutrition, but I was recently tricked on the sugar thing by canned tomatoes! Yes, canned tomatoes. I had made some vegetable beef soup. You know how it tends to absorb the juice over time? Well, I thought it needed more juice, so I added a can of diced tomatoes to it as I was heating up some leftovers. But it tasted sweet after that! I kept adding salt to make up for it. Finally I decided to check the label on the tomatoes. Sure enough, they have added sugar. It was even listed before salt in the ingredient list. Then I started hunting in my pantry. The Aldi brand Italian style diced tomatoes had lots of sugar. The Walmart diced tomatoes had sugar. My Costco organic tomatoes do not. Needless to say, I will not be buying those sugar-filled tomatoes again. I am considering returning the un-opened cans to the stores.
Jessica
Well, watch for the Costco organic tomato sauce. It has sugar. Taking the whole case back. Ugh.
Lizzy
Oh! I want to have one, but mango is the ONLY food that I’m allergic to. It used to not be too bad, just a rash from the juices although I could eat it. (Mango is apparently in the same plant family as poison ivy, and I’m one of the only people I know who can get poison ivy in January in TN.) But the last time I ate mango….well, maybe I ate too much in too short a time, but after the puffy eyes, I haven’t had any in years. It’s very sad. Maybe I’ll try the recipe with peach or pineapple instead. That’s usually what I do if I see a smoothie with mango that I want to try.
Jessica
@Lizzy, it would be great with pineapple.
Karen
Did you check your vanilla for sugar? I make my own so I know there is no added sugar, but I have heard that some commercial vanillas do have sugar. I switched to sea salt when I saw that my regular salt had added sugar.
Jessica
@Karen, yes. Good point. I make my own also. 😉
kelly d
hi again..just wondering what kind of blender you own??i have wanted to make smooties for my kids for a while..but do not own a blender!!seems like a BIG step to get a vitamix..but some folks make it sound like your smooties will not be quite right with a cheaper model!!just wondering …you and i seem to be like minded when it comes to spending..dont mind the expence if its worth it, but do mind it if its not necessary!!thank you!!
Jessica
@kelly d, my dad bought us a Magic Bullet about 6-7 years ago. So, that’s what we usually use. It’s been going strong all this time, so I think it’s fine. We also have a 20 yo Oster, but I usually use the Bullet. Easier to clean.
I’ve never used a VitaMix, so I have no idea if they’re “all that”.
Gail grooms
I use my immulsion blender
maura
jessica, I have a couple whole food, grain free baked good recipes sweetened by only dates and a little maple syrup. If and when you are looking to bake something for the kids. Let me know if you are interested.