Time: 20 min.
Complexity: average
Servings: 2

This African smoothie is a great way to start the holiday feeling energized and refreshed! The recipe features two lactose-free bases: pear nectar or coconut milk, blended with fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables with high water content. Cucumber (genetically related to watermelons, native to Africa) and the Central African algae superfood spirulina are the two green stars of this hearty bowl. Banana and pineapple add natural sweetness. All ingredients are native to the African continent or have a connection to the large Black diaspora that celebrates Kwanzaa, the festival for which this smoothie was created.

Ingredients:

Bowl

• First Fruit Harvest Smoothie
• 0.5 cup granola
• Black chia seeds, black sesame seeds, blackberry chunks and/or dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) for sprinkling
• Pomegranate seeds, strawberries or raspberries, for decoration
• Kiwi slices or mint, for garnish

First Fruit Harvest Smoothie

• 1 cup coconut milk (not skim) or 100% pear nectar (no added sugar)
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup frozen banana, sliced
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks (canned sugar-free pineapple is fine)
• 2 teaspoons spirulina powder
• 2 Medjool dates, pitted
• 6 ice cubes (if you have frozen pineapple, you don’t need to add ice)

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

coconut milk, chia seeds, granola, bananas

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Preparation:

Step 1
• Divide the smoothie into two bowls and smooth the tops. Get creative and garnish the bowls with granola, chia and sesame seeds, blackberries, dark chocolate chips, pomegranate seeds, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi slices, and/or mint. Serve immediately.
Step 2
• First Fruit Harvest Smoothie:
  
  In a blender, combine coconut milk, cucumber, banana, pineapple, spirulina, dates and ice cubes and blend until smooth.
  
  Note
  
  You can use either store-bought or homemade granola made from African supergrains such as fonio, millet, or sorghum, topped with pecans, honey, etc.
  
  For a brighter green color, you can add another spoonful of spirulina.

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