Pina Colada Smoothie

It’s getting to be that time of year when I find myself staring out the window daydreaming about a remote tropical beach with the softest white sand and the most gorgeous crystal clear blue water. A good book and a fruity drink by my side, it’s my idea of paradise. It’s an especially nice thought on this snowy Friday morning, with more of the white stuff in the forecast for tomorrow. And you know what? It *might* actually happen this year! Not that I’m excited about it or anything 🙂 Shane and I will be celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary in March, and an escape from this New England winter is definitely the goal. Now all we need to do is get our acts in gear and start planning… So, who has a (middle of the winter) warm weather destination they recommend?

Until then, I’ll have to be content enjoying a pina colada smoothie under a giant blanket on my couch and really, it’s not much of a hardship because this is a great smoothie 🙂 I discovered this recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago and have been itching to make it ever since – pina coladas are by far my favorite fruity cocktail! The recipe combines fresh pineapple, light coconut milk, a banana and a bit of honey to make a refreshing and delicious smoothie whose flavor is quite reminiscent of the cocktail. It’s not overly sweet, even with the honey, but you could probably skip the honey if you wanted and it’d still be great. I’ve enjoyed it for dessert more times than I care to admit over the course of the past few days, and with a substantial stash of fresh pineapple in my fridge, there are probably several more pina colada smoothies in my future!

Pina Colada Smoothie
barely adapted from Paula Deen

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup light coconut milk
1 frozen, sliced banana (I like to slice my bananas then pop them in the freezer so they’re ready to use in smoothies)
1/4 cup ice cubes
2 teaspoons honey
pineapple wedges, for garnish

Combine all of the ingredients (except the pineapple wedge garnish) in your blender.  Blend until smooth.  You can add ice if you want a thicker smoothie or milk if you want a thinner consistency (for the record, I liked it exactly as written).  Garnish with pineapple wedges, if desired, and serve.

Serves 2