Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Smoothie

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This mango green smoothie gets bright tart flavor from frozen passion fruit, and inflammation-fighting benefits from fresh kale. Dates add natural sweetness without added sugar. While cilantro may not be a typical smoothie ingredient, we love the herbal notes it adds to this smoothie. Feel free to leave it out if that's not your thing—it's just as delicious without.

two tall pint glasses filled with green smoothie next to hot pink napkin
Photo:

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

I was never much of a breakfast person until I started making this mango-passion fruit smoothie. But one day, I was trying to think of some ways to use up a bag of frozen passion fruit I had bought on a whim—and I came up with this easy five-ingredient breakfast smoothie. It was love at first sip, and now I can't stop making it. I've been whirring up this recipe every morning for my husband and me ever since. This recipe makes enough to fill two 16-ounce mason jars, so it's a perfect grab-and-go breakfast to bring to work.

Passion fruit on its own is pretty tart, which I love. I wanted to find a way to sweeten it without added sugar, so I paired it with frozen mango and Medjool dates. I added plain yogurt for some protein. The fresh kale complements the tart passion fruit flavor, while mellowing it out a bit. I love that my husband and I are sneaking in some of our veggie servings at breakfast. And kale is packed with nutrients like lutein, folate and vitamin K that help fight inflammation and slow cognitive decline.

ingredients for making a smoothie laid out on a wooden cutting board and small bowls

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups kale, stemmed and roughly chopped

  • 2 cups frozen mango chunks, thawed slightly (see Tip)

  • 1 cup frozen unsweetened seedless passion fruit cubes

  • 1 cup whole-milk plain yogurt

  • ½ cup water

  • 3 Medjool dates, pitted

  • 1 sprig fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

  1. Add kale, mango, passion fruit, yogurt, water, dates and cilantro (if using) to a blender. Blend on medium-low speed, adjusting speed as necessary, until well combined and creamy.

    two pint glasses getting filled with green smoothie

    Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

To make ahead

Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 1 day.

Tip

Run cold water over the frozen mango to take the chill off. It makes it much easier to run the blender.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can you use spinach instead of kale?

    Yes! While we find that kale is a better pairing with passion fruit, you can substitute the leafy green. If you do use spinach, I would use baby spinach, as the flavor of mature spinach will overpower the other ingredients and taste "spinach-y."

  • Can I use passion fruit puree instead?

    Yes, you can use passion fruit puree—however, it might change the texture of the smoothie. Many purees include seeds, whereas frozen passion fruit cubes don't. Another thing to be aware of is the nutrition in passion fruit puree. Some purees have added sugar, so if you're looking to keep an eye on sneaky added sugars in your diet, that's one place to be mindful.

  • Where can you find frozen passion fruit?

    I love frozen passion fruit because it comes in convenient little cubes without the seeds and without any added sugar. Look for brands like Pitaya Foods with other frozen fruit at your local grocery store.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups

Calories 361, Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 20mg, Carbohydrates 73g, Total sugars 52g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 17g, Fiber 6g, Sodium 71mg, Potassium 868mg

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, May 2023

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