Make this wild blueberry Tropical Smoothie!

By posting this recipe, I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America. I am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest, and I was not compensated for my time.

During winter, smoothies are a great way to get some of the 5-9 fruits and veggies recommended for good health. Smoothies are also a helpful way to start the new year right after the holidays! And just because it’s February, it’s still not too late to start or re-start! They are an easy, convenient solution to get lots of nutrition packed in a bit of glass! I am excited to share one of my favorite smoothies in the 2017 Wild Your Smoothie Recipe Contest, sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America .

Wild blueberries are the perfect ingredient for a winter smoothie! My Vine Ripe Nutrition blog often features local, seasonal foods where I live, but in the middle of winter, I usually need to supplement my local food choices with additional food. And I want these foods to be healthy! Wild blueberries are a perfect choice because their unique flavor is much more intense than cultivated blueberries, and the wild ones contain twice the amount of antioxidants, too! This makes them great as an anti-inflammatory food that helps prevent chronic disease later on and boosts the immune system!

I love that wild blueberries are a heritage to North America and are frozen near where they are picked, so all the nutrition is sealed in. This means lots more nutrition than fresh berries trucked across the country when berries are not in season where most of us live. Since wild blueberries are already frozen, I don’t need to add any ice to my blender to make smoothies, making my beverage even more packed in nutrients!

To purchase wild blueberries, look for them in your grocer’s freezer and look for the word “wild” on the package.

My wild blueberry smoothie recipe will make you think about sandy beaches and warm sun, even if the temperature is below freezing where you live! I hope that you love it!

Recipe for Wild Blueberry Tropical Smoothie

Wild Blueberry Tropical Smoothie

I love the pretty blue of these smoothies from the wild blueberries! This smoothie is easy to make and delicious! It contains lots of Vitamin C and A, antioxidants, and fiber. This recipe makes a tasty breakfast or even an easy dessert! As you can see from my pictures, I decorated everyone’s glass a little differently and used a variety of glasses, which adds to the fun of the smoothie! The macadamia nut butter can be purchased or made from my recipe below. It adds protein, healthy fat, and tropical creaminess to your smoothie.

Two servings

1 cup refrigerated coconut milk (with calcium added)

1 cup frozen wild blueberries

1/2 cup mango, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch chunks

One banana, sliced into chunks

One tablespoon of macadamia nut butter

Toppings: Toasted coconut, chia seeds, extra mango, and blueberries should be threaded on a skewer. You may also want to have some colorful paper straws on hand!

To toast the coconut, carefully brown the coconut in a small cast iron skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, but do not burn it.

To chop the mango, Ensure it is soft to the touch but not overripe. Carefully peel the fruit and cut the flesh on the cutting board as close to the sea as possible. Then, cut the flesh away from the other side of the seed. There is flesh at the top and the bottom of the seed. Carefully cut the rest of the flesh away from the seed, and what is left is mostly the large, flat seed.

In a blender, add chopped banana, chopped mango, wild blueberries, and coconut milk. Blend the ingredients until smooth, then add to glasses.

To make macadamia nut butter:

Making this butter takes a little extra time, but it is super delicious. It makes extra, so you can put it on your smoothie all week or put it on a sandwich or cracker. It is absolutely delicious! Our friend Alan made it for us as a gift! I loved it so much that I had to learn to make it myself!

Add toppings if desired:

The following ingredients can be added in if desired to boost nutrient intake and taste great in the Wild Blueberry Tropical Smoothie:

Two teaspoons of grated citrus peel

One tablespoon of whey powder

One tablespoon yogurt

For an Alternate Version, Wild Blueberry Garden Smoothie

For a more local smoothie, I keep the wild blueberries as the main ingredient with the coconut milk. Instead of the tropical fruits of mango and banana, I use locally grown strawberries and raspberries frozen from my garden. So this spring and summer, get extra of these berries from your local farmers’ markets and freeze them. I call this version Wild Blueberry Garden Smoothie. This is a great variation from the Wild Blueberry Tropical Smoothie when more local fruit is available!

Make a Wild Blueberry Tropical Smoothie

I hope you enjoy this fun and tasty wild blueberry tropical smoothie recipe and try a bag of frozen wild blueberries whether you make the tropical or garden version! And be sure to keep a bag in the freezer to use when the wild blueberry urge hits you! As a registered dietitian nutritionist in Asheville, NC, I love to help my readers and clients stay well! If you are new to my blog, welcome, and be sure to sign up so you don’t miss a single post! If you have been keeping up with what is happening in my kitchen, thank you for reading, and please share it with a friend! And check out my blueberry breakfast bars.

Check other great wild blueberry smoothie recipes when you use the hashtag #wildyoursmoothie, and you can find even more delicious recipes made with wild blueberries at Wild Blueberry Association of North America

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