Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie

When it comes to smoothies, I’m a firm believer that fewer ingredients make better tasting smoothies. Sure, you can blend together banana, apple, pear, orange, papaya, strawberries, kale, cocoa powder, bee pollen, coconut water and peanut butter and whatever else you want AND enjoy it but to me this kind of smoothie tastes like everything and nothing at the same time.

For best tasting smoothies, I found that mixing 2-3 frozen and fresh fruits and sometimes adding leafy greens like kale or spinach works better. This Cucumber Spinach Smoothie is a great example of this philosophy (made with cucumber, banana and spinach).

This Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie features two main ingredients: blueberries and pineapple and you can definitely taste both in it. To make it sweeter, I added some banana (you can swap it for a different sweetener) and I threw in some hemp hearts for increased thickness, protein and healthy fats.

If you like fun recipes sweetened with frozen bananas, check out this list of 27 Best Recipes Using Frozen Bananas or 25 Best Low-Calorie Banana Recipes.

Why you'll love this recipe

• This delicious smoothie is super simple, quick and easy to make
• No complicated ingredients (skip the hemp seeds if you don’t have any)
• Not too sweet
• Easy breakfast or snack
• Super healthy and rich in antioxidants
• Kid-friendly recipe (my little testers labeled this one as “delicious”)

• Blueberries: you can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe. My go to for smoothies are frozen Maine wild blueberries from Wyman’s. If you’re looking for budget friendly blueberries, get a large bag of regular frozen blueberries at Costco or Sam’s Club.
• Pineapple Chunks: if you have fresh pineapple, make sure it’s ripe, juicy and sweet. Unripe pineapple tends to be tart and won’t work well in this smoothie. Frozen pineapple chunks can also be used. I buy mine at Trader Joe’s.
• Milk of Choice: use whatever milk you like: dairy or plant-based (almond, coconut, oat, soy, or hemp milk). I used unsweetened oat milk from Chiobani.
• Banana: I always have random peeled banana halves in baggies in my freezer because they come in handy for making smoothies and oatmeal. Fresh banana can also be used if your other fruit is frozen.
• Seeds: to add some protein and omega-3’s to your smoothie, throw in some hemp hearts, chia seeds or flax seeds. Hemp seeds are my preferred seeds in smoothies – they’re an easy way to add some nutrition and thicken the smoothie without adding more fruit.

Expert Tip: for thick and creamy smoothie texture, I recommend that 2 of the 3 fruit in this smoothie be frozen. I had a large fresh pineapple so I added frozen blueberries and frozen banana. Any other combo will work – fresh blueberries, frozen pineapple and frozen banana or frozen blueberries, frozen pineapple and fresh banana.

Looking for more smoothie inspiration? Try this Strawberry Smoothie Bowl, Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowl and this Vanilla Coconut Smoothie Bowl.

How to make a Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie

STEP 1: Place all ingredients in a blender. I like to start with plant milk and then add pineapple, blueberries, banana and hemp seeds.

STEP 2: Blend all ingredients until completely smooth.

STEP 3: Taste and adjust flavor and consistency as needed. I always recommend tasting the smoothie before pouring it in a glass.

• If it’s not sweet enough, add a little more banana, maple syrup or a date.
• If you would like it thicker, add more frozen fruit or a couple ice cubes.
• For a creamier smoothie, add ¼ cup of vanilla or plain Greek yogurt (or canned full fat coconut milk for a non-dairy version)

STEP 4: Serve on its own or topped with more hemp hearts for extra texture.

Why I prefer wild blueberries

All blueberries are delicious and proven to have amazing health benefits thanks to high fiber to low sugar ratio and a ton of antioxidants they provide. However, Maine wild blueberries are extra special and I am not saying that just because I live in Maine and I love my state.

Here's how wild blueberries compare to cultivated blueberries:

1. Higher antioxidant content: Wild blueberries have a higher concentration of antioxidants than regular blueberries. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage by neutralizing free radicals in the body.
2. More intense flavor and color: Wild blueberries have a more intense flavor than regular blueberries. This is due in part to their smaller size and higher skin-to-flesh ratio, which gives them a more concentrated flavor.
3. Higher nutrient density: Wild blueberries are more nutrient-dense than regular blueberries, meaning they contain more vitamins and minerals per serving.
4. Grown without pesticides: Wild blueberries are grown without the use of pesticides, as they are naturally resistant to pests and diseases. This means they are free from harmful chemicals that can be found in some conventionally grown fruits.

Fresh wild blueberries are almost impossible to find when not in season but most grocery stores in the US carry Wyman's frozen wild blueberries and that's what I use almost everyday, too!

Note: Some smoothies may separate or change in texture after being refrigerated or frozen. This is normal and it doesn't mean the smoothie went bad. If you add an emulsifier such as a banana, avocado, or nut butter to your recipe, it will help prevent the separation.

More smoothies and smoothie bowls

• Cucumber Spinach Smoothie
• Boba Smoothie
• Coconut Smoothie Bowl
• Nutella Smoothie Bowl
• Snickers Smoothie Bowl
• Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothie Bowl
• Smoothie Bowl without Banana

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