smoothie - 300k-34.jpg — If a Piña Colada decided to become a smoothie - this would be it. A refreshing pineapple and coconut vegan drink full of creamy tropical flavours.

This pineapple and coconut smoothie is packed full of extra healthy nutritional ingredients in the form of ginger, carrot and turmeric. It is incredibly refreshing and makes a great drink or breakfast.

Turmeric contains an active compound called curcumin, which is widely known to have many scientifically-proven health benefits. I love adding it into meals when cooking, but also enjoy adding some to my smoothies also! You can buy fresh turmeric for added benefits (which looks similar to ginger), but also the ground spice you can get from the shop works perfectly.

For this pineapple and coconut smoothie, if you don’t have frozen pineapple you can substitute for fresh pineapple. Just add in a couple of ice cubes to make the smoothie nice and cold. Or, chop it up and pop it in the freezer the night before, and you’ve got your own frozen pineapple!

A delicious and complimentary alternative to lemon juice would be a yummy squeeze of orange or orange juice. Or you could throw a whole orange in there!

The coconut base can either come in the form of tinned coconut milk (the one you use when cooking), or if you’d prefer a lighter option opt for coconut milk you get in a carton (the one you use in your coffee).

If using tinned coconut milk make sure you stir it before hand if its separated into liquid and the harder coconut cream at the top. If you find the smoothie a little too thick just add in extra water or juice. I personally added in about 1/4-1/2 cup of water to make the smoothie a little more runny.

What blender should I use?

For a blender that’s great value for money you can’t go wrong with a Nutribullet. I have the 900W one and it is such a good option. I’ve had mine for years and it’s really stood the test of time blending everything for all of my meals and recipe videos all these years!

I have a Vitamix that I couldn’t live without. It’s definitely a more expensive option - but they are professional grade and can blitz almost anything. Totally worth it if you have the budget and are a foodie.