Pineapple Mango Smoothie

This pineapple mango smoothie is bright and refreshing… but the best thing about it is that it will help your digestion!

I make smoothies all the time. I mean, every day. My Vitamix gets more use than any kitchen tool I’ve ever owned. I just love the idea that I can pick out whatever food and herbs and supplements I need at a particular moment, toss them all in the blender, and have a healing cocktail of sorts that will boost my energy, fix my digestion, decrease my inflammation, or lift my mood in a matter of seconds.

To me, it’s like magic. Smoothies are the epitome of food is medicine.

When I was in school getting my Masters Degree in Oriental Medicine, we learned all about the value and the amazing healing powers of Chinese herbs. And, I  cook with Chinese herbs all the time. One of my favorite things to do is to introduce my clients to these amazing plant-based medicines.

While it was my culinary school training that started my obsession with more traditional food herbs, like basil, it was my Chinese herbal medicine training that taught me the healing abilities and properties of these more traditional herbs. This pineapple mango smoothie includes a large amount of basil. And basil, is one of the most healing food herbs around. Not only is it great for your immune system, but it’s also a spiritual herb and will lift your mood.

Healing. Delicious. Simple. Those are the 3 words that describe the perfect smoothie.

But… yes, there’s always a but… sometimes I get stuck in a smoothie rut. I fall into the trap of using the same ingredients way too often. I find that green, brown, and red are the colors of most of my smoothie creations.

Okay, if I’m being totally honest — if I’m just making one for myself, oftentimes it’s really ugly. Really healing, but really ugly. I’ve been told sometimes that they are the color of baby poop. Wow, that’s pretty unappetizing… but honesty’s worth a lot, isn’t it?

So, I’ve made a pact with myself (do you ever do that?) that I will make new smoothies, with new combinations of ingredients.

Another thing I’m trying to do is to use fewer ingredients in these recipes. Yes, I do love my powders, potions, and supplements, but sometimes less is more.

This pineapple mango smoothie is one of my newest blended recipes. And look… it’s YELLOW. This one makes me happy just to look at it. But, when you taste it, you will really smile.

The combination of the pineapple with the mango is like a tropical explosion in your mouth. The banana gives it just the right amount of creaminess, and then… for the piece de resistance… a big handful of fresh bright green fragrant basil leaves. The aroma itself is incredible!

Okay, have I talked you into making this pineapple mango smoothie yet?

I hope so. And, if you want another great awesome, colorful smoothie creation, try my Pink Pitaya Mango Smoothie Bowl recipe.

I’m on a big customized-recipe-creation kick right now… let me customize a recipe for you that will work for whatever’s going on in your body now… I’m such a geek that I really do get excited about doing this. I’ve got a smoothie with your name on it…  So CLICK HERE to be taken directly into my calendar to sign up for your free phone consultation.

Each ingredient in this pineapple mango smoothie really packs a healing nutritional punch:

Pineapple is great for your digestion and it can help stop diarrhea. It’s especially good in the summer because it fights against heatstroke. And, if you haven’t tried drinking pure pineapple juice when you have a cough… you’ve really been missing out because pineapple juice is the best cough suppressant around!

Mangos are great for digestion and they help if you have one of those annoying dry coughs that just won’t go away. This delicious fruit will also help strengthen your bones and is good for your heart.

I love to add bananas to smoothie bowls; they offer a great natural sweetness and a nice creamy texture. Bananas are good for your intestines (an old Asian remedy was to eat a banana every day to relieve hemorrhoids) and your lungs, and they even help relieve the effects of overindulging in alcohol.

Basil has anti-viral and anti-bacterial capabilities. It also is good for settling your stomach, and it’s good at lessening the symptoms of the common cold and its accompanying cough. Basil is a spiritual herb — the scent actually calms you; you can boil some in a pot and let the aroma fill the air, you can just leave some around the house, you can toss a bunch in your bath water (I love to do this), or you can use an essential oil with basil to get some great calming effects.

Extra-virgin olive oil is amazing. It is good for just about everything. It is great for your heart and has even been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks when added into a healthy diet. It’s also good for your brain, and can reduce some of the inflammation in your body. I recommend buying extra-virgin olive oil because it is less processed than some other olive oils. Also, with olive oils, sometimes you get what you pay for, so if you are able to taste the oils before you buy, that’s a great thing to do.

If you make this Pineapple Mango Smoothie, please be sure to let me know in the comments below. I love hearing how you like a recipe, and I love to answer your questions! If you make it, be sure to take a photo and tag me and post it on Instagram.