Pina Colada Smoothie – a healthy non alcoholic pina colada

Get that tropical feeling without the guilt with a pina colada smoothie. Drink this healthy non alcoholic pina colada any time of year to get your fix. Share with the kids and hide some veggies in and you’ve got a breakfast or snack packed with fruit, veggies, and healthy fats. You won’t miss the rum in this incredibly creamy drink.

My dream life is drinking fruit drinks on a hot beach all day, every day. As a kid, ordering a frozen drink adorned with an umbrella or a sword or some kind of fruit on the edge was a special occasion thing. Usually it was restricted to birthdays and vacation – we vacationed at the Jersey shore when I was a kid and we went to this one seafood place after playing a highly competitive game of mini golf. Every single time I ordered a pina colada, just like my mom. I would feel so cool and grown up with this giant frozen drink in front of me.

Only to find out that it’s actually not super cool as an adult to drink frozen fruity beverages?! You guys, I am not a big drinker. I will drink a glass of wine on a bad day, but more often than not I pass because in all honestly, I really really do not like the taste of alcohol.Don’t tell anyone, okay? Our secret?

So I’m usually stuck ordering the fruitiest, girliest drink known to man kind. Alex has known me long enough (before I was even a legal drinker!) to accept it but when we go out with other people I usually get the look. For the most part I just skip it unless we’re somewhere super appropriate to drink Pina coladas, my favorite drink ever.

But when you get the craving, you must obey, right? Last week it was crazy hot and all I could think about was drinking a pina colada. To work I went, trying to figure out how to make one without a gallon of sugar and that I could share with the kids so I could drink in peace.

This Pina Colada Smoothie came out absolutely perfect. Typically speaking, I’m just not a smoothie person. My kids love them and so does my husband so I make at least one a week, but I never can get into them – I think it’s the banana or maybe the dairy that turns me off. This one uses just 3 ingredients, (unless you’re doing the hidden veggie version, then it’s 4!) is totally plant based, doesn’t use any kind of mix or sugar packed ick, and is crazy delicious.

 

Tips for making a pina colada smoothie

• If it’s too thick after adding the coconut milk, add a bit of orange juice. You can use pineapple juice or water, but I think the OJ adds a bit of fun citrus, keeps the color, and I always have it on hand. Pineapple orange juice would be awesome as well.
• Use the canned coconut milk at room temperature so nothing gets gritty. Because of the fat in the coconut milk, if it’s solidified it can sometimes get chunky from the cream hardening before it blends in. Either way, a good blender should solve that problem but I like to make life easier when possible.
• Honestly, I WILL NOT judge you if you slip a little rum in yours and serve it as dessert. Kids get plain and mom and dad get a nice relaxing drink.
• Cauliflower it totally optional – you truly don’t really taste it and it gets really creamy though! If you’re omitting it, don’t add the extra liquid until you know if you need it.

Pina Colada Smoothie – a healthy non alcoholic pina colada

The best part about this is how customizable it is – make it a hidden veggie smoothie by adding some frozen cauliflower – whatever small amount of taste they bring is overpowered so no one will argue – or add some ice or coconut water ice to up the hydrating factor. Have extras? Pour it into a popsicle mold and freeze them to make healthy and decadent ice pops!

Okay so tell me – what was your go to drink as a kid? And now? Let me know in the comments!

If you’re looking for more information on hidden veggie smoothies, check out my post with all of the best tips for making them here.