Happy New Year! Ah, the promise of a fresh start. I love turning the page to a new year, even if only in my mind. There’s something about it that leads to new possibilities, that somehow didn’t exist in December. I realize that’s not exactly logical, but January 1 always holds promise. Perhaps this will be the year I *finally* feel organized, or accomplish some other lifestyle goal. Maybe I’ll travel to new places I really want to visit, like Oregon and Italy. Some of you may be lucky enough to currently feel the sun on your face in the tropics. For the rest of us, we can start the new year on a delicious foot and live vicariously through this smoothie.

Head to the Tropics Green Smoothie
1 ripe banana
2 cups kale, de-stemmed
1 TBSP unsweetened coconut
1 TBSP ground flax meal
2 tsp chia seeds
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 1/4 cups coconut water

I made this smoothie on a whim last weekend at my oldest sister’s house, using what we had on hand. My sister commented that her smoothies never turn out like this, and she wondered why. Our conversation led to a couple of smoothie tips I want to share. Feel free to add an ice cube or too if you want a colder smoothie, but don’t add too many! This leads to a watered down drink, lacking in flavor. Be sure to layer your smoothie based on how easily the ingredients will blend. Your ripe banana, kale and mix-ins should be closest to the blade, with frozen fruit on top. This will help your blade get moving around easily, instead of stopping immediately on a chunk of frozen fruit. Finally, know what ratios speak to your taste preferences. This smoothie is pretty sweet even with 2 cups of kale, because of the fruit and coconut water. You might prefer less fruit, or more, depending on your tastes. Layer as instructed above, and blend until smoothie and creamy. Enjoy!

If you’re a smoothie-lover, you may want to try some of the other favorites on here – Kale-Ginger Smoothie, Cacao-Banana-Hemp Smoothie, Kale-Berry Smoothie and the Blueberry Coconut Smoothie.