This refreshing tropical smoothie has been on frequent rotation for me this summer. It’s sweet, delicious and refreshing! This is the type of drink you’d have poolside as it's a perfect pick you up on a hot day. I make it in the morning and take with me to work to have later as a snack.  

Mangos are rich in fiber, vitamin A, folic acid and vitamin C. Dried (sugar free) mango from Trader Joe's are my crack, they taste like candy! I buy frozen mango from Trader Joes which I’ve found to be cheaper than at Safeway.

Even though cucumbers are 96% water, they’re still packed with plenty of essential nutrients and keep your body hydrated. They contain B vitamins, Vitamin C & K, and potassium. I also keep cut cucumber in the freezer, it makes it easier to use since cut cumbers go bad so quickly in the fridge. I keep the peel on. 

Spinach is high in iron, vitamin B6, magnesium, chlorophyll, vitamin A & K. I buy fresh spinach and throw the bag in the freezer, then grab a handful whenever I want to make a smoothie. No more bags of spinach go bad in my fridge now! I don’t taste this at all in the smoothie. The reason I add it is so my smoothie is filling and more substantial with the added nutrition. I like to add more nutrients in the form of veggies. Since I don’t like the taste of cooked spinach, this is a great way to add it to my diet on a daily basis. 

As a nutrition booster I add Camu Camu which is a fruit from the Amazon rainforest and has 60% more vitamin C than an orange. It also has amino acids, magnesium and potassium. I only add a little because the flavor is so bitter and it has to be mixed in the blender, because if I add it directly to the cup it doesn’t get mixed in well.

Chia seeds are packed with healthy Omega-3, fiber, calcium and antioxidants. It helps curb your appetite with the fiber slowing your digestion

Coconut water – hydrating and has potassium. 

Directions:

1. Add the coconut water and mango to the blender and blend.
2. Then add the rest of the ingredients minus the chia seeds.
3. Pour into a glass and add the chia seeds, mixing it in. If you put the chia seeds in the blender, you end up losing a lot of chia seeds in the blender.