Healthy Piña Colada Smoothie (vegan, dairy-free)
This piña colada smoothie only uses fresh fruit and coconut milk, making it a delicious and healthy way to start the day! It’s also vegan and dairy-free.
I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! I didn’t plan on taking two weeks off from all things blogging, but that’s what happened. Now that I feel super relaxed, I’m ready to share some healthy recipes.
I was supposed to be headed to the Caribbean for a blogger retreat in less than one week, but had to cancel for various reasons. So I made this piña colada smoothie to pretend that I’m not somewhere that’s grey and dreary 97% of the time. :)
This smoothie is made up of only healthy ingredients: banana, fresh pineapple, and coconut milk. I saw some recipes that included pineapple juice, but I wanted to avoid adding it since it’s essentially all sugar. I did try adding some in one version, and it’s delicious, so if you don’t mind the sugar, go for it!
Another thing you could try is coconut milk Greek yogurt. I don’t have access to it over here, but I bet it’d be delicious in this smoothie!
You can also add a bit of avocado for the added nutritional benefits! It also contributes to the creaminess. If you’re making this for breakfast and want something a little more filling, toss in some oats.
I must admit that I’ve only ever had one piña colada and am far from being a piña colada expert. You may want to have a little extra pineapple on hand if you don’t find my version to have enough of a pineapple taste. Or, if you prefer a more coconutty flavor, add some coconut extract or coconut butter.
If you have time, I recommend partially freezing the bananas and pineapple chunks. I never add ice to my smoothies because I dislike how icy and watery it makes them, so freezing the fruit helps. I don’t completely freeze the fruit because I use an immersion blender that couldn’t handle it.
As a lot of people are going back to work tomorrow, I felt it my duty to try this piña colada smoothie with some added rum, just in case you feel a hankering for that kind of thing after a long day at work. It works. :D
Want another delicious pineapple treat? Try this amazing Cinnamon Fried Pineapple!
Healthy Piña Colada Smoothie (vegan, dairy-free)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (108 grams) coconut milk canned
- 3/4 of a medium banana sliced into 1/2" chunks and frozen for 30-60 minutes (80 grams of chunks)
- 1 cup (124 grams) fresh pineapple ,sliced into 1/2" chunks and frozen for 30-60 minutes
- avocado or other possible additions: coconut Greek yogurt, coconut extract, coconut butter (not oil), plain Greek yogurt, pineapple juice, rum, oats, shredded coconut or coconut flakes as garnish
Instructions
- Blend everything together using an immersion blender, blender (I’d recommend a high-powered one like a Blendtec) or food processor. If using a blender, make sure to add the coconut milk first to make blending easier. Process until smooth.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
Super bummer about canceling the trip. I wanted to go but I traveled so much last year I just wanted to be home for more than a month without going anywhere..haha. However, this pina colada smoothie looks like a nice way to drink through the sadness :)
Shouldn’t you be tired of tropical islands? TWO weeks is a long time. ;)
Two weeks off is a very wise decision. This pina colada smoothie looks healthily delicious!
It is indeed. ;)
I took 2 weeks off as well. I feel so relaxed. I’m sorry you had to cancel your retreat. Hopefully this smoothie makes up for it. So thick and yummy. I’d probably have like 3 of these.
Haha. I wouldn’t say it makes up for it but it made me feel a little better for a few minutes. ;)
Well, I’m sure this doesn’t quite make up for that retreat, but with the right attitude, I bet it goes a long way. It really does sound bright and sunny!
Indeed! It definitely brightened my day. :)
Pina Colada in Smoothie-form! HECK YEAH! AND you had 2 weeks off?! BONUS!
I’m jelly! ;-)
Haha. I hope you took some time off, too! ;)
Oh no! You had to cancel your trip?! I’m so sorry to hear this! I hope you’ll get to go next year!
I also took two weeks off from blogging — also wasn’t my plan. I needed some time off, though!
Your smoothie looks HOT :) I’ll have one with rum, please ;) Happy New Year, Erin!!
I’m so happy you took some time off! It looks like you have a nice time in Germany. :) I hope you’re having a lovely new year!
reminds me of summer!
I typically grab a smoothie in the afternoon/early evening when I’m jonesing for something sweet. This would sooooo hit the spot! And would keep me from remembering that it is less than 5 degrees outside.
That’s a good idea! I always have one in the morning because I need something to perk me up. ;)
Too bad you had to cancel your trip, but this definitely looks like a taste of the tropics – yum!
Thank you, Jess!
That cruise trip sounded fabulous but difficult to take a vacation with my family anyway right after the holidays. Sorry you had to miss it! Smoothie looks super tropical!
Thanks, Brenda! Are you seeing their pictures on IG? Ugh. Such a bummer we couldn’t go!
As someone who is a better-late-than-never recent convert to loving coconut, I’ll take any excuse to eat it that I can get. I’m excited that I have all the ingredients for this in my fridge/freezer right now!
Same here! I didn’t like it until the past 2 years or so. So silly! ;)
So sorry you are missing your trip – it sounded really great! But at least you can drown your sorrows in this fantastic smoothie! Looks delicious!
Thanks, Martha! :)
So sorry you had to cancel on the retreat. I really wanted to go too, but I wasn’t able to take the time off work. :( It’s a LONG time to be away.
This smoothie looks so good!
Aww, that stinks. I recommend making a tropical smoothie so you can at least pretend. ;)
So sorry you weren’t able to go on that trip!! That’s so disappointing. This smoothie is a little bit of the Caribbean right at home :)
You’ve been on that ship a few times, right? Lucky girl! ;)
This sounds like a vacation in a glass! SO sorry you had to cancel your trip :( Hope everything is ok!
Everything’s fine! Thank you. :)
I am feeling in need of a tropical drink. It will make the cold weather go away, right? This really does sound fantastic, Erin.
Yes! At least for a few minutes. :)
This looks delicious! And sorry you had to cancel the trip – the Caribbean sounds pretty good right about now!
Thanks, Amanda! You’re going, right? Have fun! :)
Beautiful tropical smoothie, Erin! I am with you…best to add fresh frozen chunked pineapple (for the extra fiber) than just pineapple juice. The perfect smoothie to kick off the season of all things healthy. :) Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Stacy! I have to admit, though, the pineapple juice was good. ;) The smoothie as written is pretty sweet but I almost always enjoy more sugar. I wish I could change that!
This sounds wonderful. I like the idea of adding coconut butter (I made some but haven’t found a lot of use for it). I also like freezing my fruit beforehand. I would probably add some unflavored whey powder to this because I need protein. Will definitely enjoy it. I’m sorry you didn’t get to go to the Caribbean. Beautiful, warm and sunny does wonders in counteracting cold and dreary.
Oooh! I have some unflavored whey protein that I don’t know what to do with. I’m going to try that, too! Thanks so much for the idea and I hope you’ll like the smoothie. :)
Sounds like heaven to me :)
Thanks, Indre! It really is. :)