Yeah, yeah. Who needs a recipe for smoothies? You just toss it all in a blender, hit go, and let ‘er rock. I know.

So this isn’t so much a post with a recipe as it is an idea for what to do with any leftover pineapple you have from yesterday’s Pineapple Fried Rice making. A bit of sweet fresh pineapple, a few smooth Champagne Mangos, and three of my best secrets for Smoothies that Rock, and you won’t be sad with this sipper.

Smoothies are a vegan morning’s best friend. Blended with the right ingredients, they are a sweet, filling way to start the day. Here’s how to make this recipe your most fabbie smoothie evs:

• 1. Use extremely ripe fruit. When creating a smoothie in the most healthy way possible (fresh everything, no added sugars), very ripe fruit is a girls best friend. The super-soft, sickeningly sweet texture and flavor of an almost-overripe mango might not translate well to naked eating, but tossed into a smoothie, such fruit will puree well while lending more natural sweetness than a cup of sugar crystals ever could. When blending with mango’s, opt for Champagne Mangos, which pack tons of flavor without adding the stringy pulp of traditional mangos.
• 2. Blend with a good quality vanilla protein powder and coconut milk for extra creaminess. Look for the SunWarrior brand for a beautiful vanilla raw-vegan protein. And, don’t dump a can of coconut milk into your smoothie. It’s high in fat and lends a nappy aftertaste to smoothies. Rather, look for the refrigerated cartons of Coconut Milk near the Soy Milk at most local grocers for a mild, perfect flavor and texture.
• 3. Keep a sneaky stash of chia seeds and flax seeds right by your blender. When it comes to blending smoothies, having a readily accessible mix of fiber-licious add-ins will help you remember to use them. In my house, I shake together chia seeds and ground flax seeds, store them in a pretty can, and pop that can right next to my blender. This technique makes smoothie making that.much.easier, and turns HEALTHY smoothie making into a super-simple task.

Allright, cough ‘em up! I’d love to hear your smoothie-making secrets. Because, after all, we could all use a little more smoothie goodness to go with our mornings.

Vegan Pineapple Mango Coconut Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Healthy and quick, these easy smoothies are fresh, healthy, and supremely delicious. Serve them with some vegan Cinnamon Toast, made with Earth Balance butter on Ezekiel bread and you've got yourself a gorgeously fab breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
1 cup fresh, ripe pineapple
2 ripe Champagne mangos
1 1/2 cups ice
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (the refrigerated sort in a carton, not the stuff in a can)
1 scoop good vanilla vegan protein powder
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds & chia seeds
1/2 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend until pureed. Serve and enjoy!