Mango Pineapple Avocado Protein Smoothie

This mango pineapple avocado protein smoothie is thick, creamy, and packed with protein! Mango and pineapple give it a lovely burst of tangy-sweet flavor, and avocado adds a creamy richness. Plant-based protein powder or Greek yogurt make you feel full but light.

this recipe

Friends, I think this just might be my all-time favorite smoothie. It has the sweet-tart taste from mango, digestive enzymes from pineapple, protein from plant-based protein powder or Greek yogurt, creaminess from avocado... and some hidden spinach for extra nutrients and lovely hue. Plus, the flavor reminds me of Fruity Pebbles (maybe it's just my tastebuds, but no complaints here!). Whip this one up any time you're craving a tropical, thick, and creamy smoothie.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need:

• Frozen mango & pineapple - Frozen fruit creates an extra creamy, milkshake-like texture (especially with frozen mango!). I never make smoothies with room temperature fruit because I love them to be thick, creamy, and cold. This smoothie recipe uses more mango than pineapple, but you can adjust the ratio however you like.
• Avocado - We'll just use a bit of avocado in this recipe for added creaminess and nutrition. The avocado doesn't need to be frozen since we'll be using plenty of frozen fruit and other cold ingredients, but you can freeze it if you want. Frozen avocado cubes are also sold in the frozen produce section of the grocery, if you're looking for something more convenient.
• Spinach - We'll throw in a handful of spinach or greens for some extra nutrients.
• Plant-based milk - Any milk will work, but I usually pick a plant-based kind such as unsweetened almond milk.
• Vanilla plant-based protein powder - For protein and delicious flavor, I like to use a scoop of vanilla plant-based protein powder.

If you don't have protein powder on hand or don't prefer it, Greek yogurt makes an equally thick, delicious smoothie with added protein. I've tried it both ways numerous times and love it either way! My favorite Greek yogurt to use is plain, either 2% or whole milk, because it's rich and doesn't have added sugar.

How to Make It & Success Tips

Smoothies are easy... 🙂 I'm sure you know the drill: Combine the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth! But, while it's true that smoothies are easy to make, there are definitely some success and trouble-shooting tips that come in handy.

Smoothie Success Tips

• Too thick: If the smoothie is too thick and gets stuck in your blender, you can add a splash more milk or water.
• Too thin: If it's too thin, add a couple more cubes of frozen mango and blend until it's to your desired thickness. Ice can help thicken too, but the smoothie texture will be more icy and less creamy.
• Frozen fruit: I am hardcore in the camp of frozen fruit is an absolute must when it comes to smoothies! You could blend up room temperature fruit, but then the smoothie doesn't get that spectacular cold, thick, and creamy consistency... the one reminiscent of a milkshake :).
• Freezer burn: If your fruit is freezer burned, it might taste kind of funky. I recommend using frozen fruit you've purchased (or frozen) recently.

How to Make Smoothies Ahead

Smoothies already quick and easy, but meal prepping them in advance saves even more time! Below are a few tips I've learned from prepping my smoothies in advance.

Blending in advance: Making your smoothie ahead by blending it in advance isn't always the best method, since the consistency of the smoothie can change as it sits for longer periods of time. If you choose to blend it in advance, I recommend the following tips to preserve the consistency:

• Leave the freshly blended smoothie in the blender when you store it in the fridge, so that it's easy to give it a quick refresh blend before you drink it.
• Make smoothie ice cubes! Pour the smoothie into an ice cube tray, then add back to your blender with some plant-based milk to blend up the next day.
• If you don't want to make time for another round in the blender, try storing the smoothie in a thermos that's meant to keep drinks either super hot or super cold. This will help the frozen fruit thaw at a slower pace in the fridge, so that the smoothie doesn't become super thin.
• Add chia seeds! If you throw in 2-3 tablespoons of chia seeds, they will absorb some of the liquid to form a gel, which will help the smoothie stay thick.

Prepping smoothie ingredients in advance: This is my preferred way to make smoothies ahead because I love the consistency of a smoothie when it's freshly blended. To prepare smoothie ingredients ahead of time, I usually create "smoothie packs" with the pre-measured fruits and veggies in a zip-top bag or glass container. When you're ready to make your smoothie, just dump the pre-measured fruits and veggies in a blender with your milk and protein powder, and blend!

Success Tip: Prepare freezer smoothie packs for the upcoming week or two, but not too far in advance! Food can get freezer burned, and frozen bananas can become brown, so the quality of your smoothie is better when more recently frozen.

More Smoothie Deliciousness

If you liked this mango pineapple avocado protein smoothie, then I think you'll also love a few others I've shared in recent years!

• Mango Turmeric Ginger Smoothie
• Berry Vanilla Protein Smoothie
• Hydrating Raspberry Coconut Mango Smoothie

P.S. Thrive Market,Whole Foods, and Amazon are all excellent places to find plant-based protein powder!

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