These are not your average Tropical Smoothies. Packed with mango, papaya, coconut, banana, dates, and macadamia nuts; this smoothie recipe was destined to be on your breakfast table.
Do you believe in fate?
I’m not sure I exactly believe in fate, but I do believe these smoothies were meant-to-be.
Last month the hubs and I were very fortunate to spend some time in Hawaii. The island of Kauai is a lush rain forest with rolling green peaks and waterfalls nearly everywhere you look. Two other things you are sure to find, along every meandering country road, are wild chickens (really) and smoothie shacks.
This particular Fruit Stand/Smoothie Shack was our personal favorite, nestled in the brush along the road going up to the North shore. Every time we stopped here we tested a different variety. That is, until we met DATE WITH FATE.
These rightly named tropical smoothies are loaded with fresh fruit, macadamia nuts and DATES. “Date With Fate” is not your standard super-sweet smoothie recipe. These babies are hearty, with a satisfying complexity that will keep you coming back for more. The roasted macadamia nut flavor and touch of salt, combined with the earthy flavor of the dates and bright tropical fruits, creates something magical. Plus, they are naturally gluten free and dairy free, using coconut milk and rice milk as the base.
My copy-cat version has been a life-saver since we’ve returned home to the cold barren mountains. Every sip of these tropical smoothies takes me right back to that picnic table under the palm trees.
The key here is to cut and freeze all the ingredients a day (or at least a few hours) ahead and to prep enough for several smoothies. This recipe makes 10 large or 12 regular smoothies. You WILL want another one, trust me.
Recipe: Tropical Smoothies
(AKA Date With Fate)
Ingredients
- 2 – 14 oz. cans lite unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 ripe mangoes
- 2 ripe papayas
- 3 bananas
- 1 lb. roasted macadamia nuts
- 30 dates
- 10 cups rice milk (Rice Dream)
Instructions
- Shake the cans of coconut milk to mix. Then pour the coconut milk into two ice cube trays (standard ice cube trays with 16 cubes per tray.) Place in the freezer.
- Cut a small slit in each date and remove the pit.
- Peel and cut the bananas into chunks the same size as the coconut ice cubes.
- Peel, seed, and chop the mangoes and papayas into chunks the size of the coconut ice cubes.
- Place all items, including the macadamia nuts, into zip bags and place in the freezer, until frozen solid. Keep the rice milk in the fridge.
- For EACH smoothie, place in the blender: 3 coconut milk cubes, 2 mango chunks, 2 papaya chunks, 1 banana chunk, 1/4 cup macadamia nuts, 3 dates, 1 cup rice milk.
- Puree until smooth and thick.
Preparation time: 20 – 25 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 10 – 12
More Great Breakfast Ideas:
Dutch Babies With Mulberr-Rhubarb Compote
Chocolate and Milk Toast ~ Gourmande in the Kitchen
Morning Glory Muffins ~ My Baking Addiction
Chocolate Cherry Cinnamon Buns ~ Mommie Cooks
These sound amazing!!! I love the idea of the coconut milk ice cubes!
Mmm pure deliciousness! I’m drinking a breakfast smoothie reading this!…although it’s a quick and easy one and doesn’t sound as good as this!
I can’t wait to try these, Sommer! We love smoothies here and have loved coconut milk and/ or water in them! This looks perfect!
Sounds wonderful – and how I wish I were back in my warm tropical paradise again…the weather here is quite cold today! This maybe could take me there!
BTW, have you tried the Silk Coconut Milk? I’m thinking this would be good in your smoothie too. I just bought some last week and while its not something I would drink (too thick for me) I have been using it to cook and bake. I love it!
that is one delicious smoothie !!!
It’s absolutely freezing right now… I so wish it were warmer so I could make this right now.
I just love Hawaii and all the memories that come gushing back from this smoothie!
That looks awesome. Almost as awesome as those tropical pictures. Great combination of ingredients!
I love smoothies and shakes all year round!
Great smoothie! I love the addition of the dates. I used to work at a restaurant with a date drink and it was really good!
This looks great and I love that you’ve incorporated dates into the recipe. Such great flavors and much better than sugar. Great post!
Love the flavors in this smoothie!
Great idea to freeze the coconut milk. I love all the flavors in this. Can’t wait to try it.
ooooo! Git-it-guuurl
I love the idea of this smoothie! So different from a typical smoothie. I can’t wait to try this one!
I loove your pictures, it must have been such an amazing trip!
Papayas are my absolute favorite, and though I haven’t had dates in a smoothie, I love them otherwise and am sorely tempted to give this smoothie a try soon.
This recipe has not, but two genius ideas: coconut ice cubes AND dates in smoothies. Can’t wait to try both – thanks for sharing!
look so good right now! I just worked out right now and could use this!!
Our best friend lives on Kauai. He runs a fishing charter company. Captain Don’s!!
Love these smoothies. What a great idea to freeze the coconut milk!
Oh I have to try this one, just the texture & color have me singing.
I love dates. This is definitely healthier than my favorite way to drink them…date shakes are not so resolution friendly.
That looks refreshing! Yum!
That looks so refreshing and healthy, Sommer! Beautiful combination of flavors
I’ll have to try this lovely smoothie recipe! Have a wonderful week ahead!
HUGS <3
Papaya and macadamia nuts so so incredibly good. I’ve been in a smoothie making grove lately so this is going to make the rotation for sure!
We went to Tahiti on our honeymoon and this reminds me of that so much with those flavors. Papaya is actually one of the few foods I cannot stand though so I’m thinking pineapple would be a good sub
I love the idea of freezing the coconut milk. Thanks for that tip! I will give it a try. And I would have never thought to make a smoothie with macadamia nuts. It sounds wonderful.
Didn’t think I liked dates, but I made some muffins with dates yesterday and I really kinda’ dug them. I have saved this to try this weekend. Love the freezing of the coconut milk. Genius!
I fell in love with date shakes when I was a teen visiting Palm Springs. Your lighter, fruitier version is more to my adult tastes…and who couldn’t use a bit of the tropics in January????
I have never had a date shake. That will change shortly. Thanks for sharing. Yum!
That’s it! The ingredients are on the grocery list.
We are HUMUNGO smoothie fans ’round these parts. I can’t wait to try these!
Thanks Sommer.
Tiff
OOhhhh, I love shakes and this looks the best. I tend to freeze everything also….the illusion of something very rich and satisfys a need for dessert. I don’t know if all the little stands look alike or not, but I am sure I have been to that little stand with the picnic table and palm trees. I want to go back!
Enjoyed your description of a smoothie shack with wild chickens running around! A Smoothie with macadamia nuts and tropical fruits sounds so good!
Great way to be transported back to Hawaii, The smoothie sounds wonderful-a perfect breakfast or for anytime!
I love the combination of all the ingredients in this smoothie, it sounds wonderfully delicious!
I always use frozen fruit in smoothies but what a great idea to freeze the milk. This looks SO yummy.
I love the coconut and rice milk you used in this tropical smoothie. Rich and tasty!
The macadamia nuts add BIG charm to this smoothie! Smart to freeze the coconut milk
I’d never tried a date shake before running across the very road-side stand on Kauai that you’ve pictured here. It was there that I had a “Date with Fate”. OMG. I came back repeatedly throughout my visit and can conjure the memory now and my mouth waters! I didn’t think I liked dates either but these are awesome. I like sweet, and the Date with Fate is sweet, but not in a sticky-sweet way in a just-amazing way. So good. I’m going to try your recipe asap! (BTW, I took a picture of their placard with the DWF ingredients when I was there and they admit to using date powder! With powder it was amazing!)
Thank you!
Cynthia,
That is incredible that you recognized the smoothie shack and have had DATE WITH FATE!!! I can’t wait for you to try this version and see how it compares.
What beautiful pictures and that smoothie looks just terrific. I cannot wait to give this one a try!
Can I just say you are a genius? Freezing the coconut milk?! Adding macadamia nuts? Come to momma.
With that smoothie I might begin to believe in fate!
Oh wow, I love the fact that you included dates in these =)
I could make this smoothie with complete confidence that it would result in the gorgeous smoothie pictured here. Thanks for the step-by-step pictures with directions. Just love everything you do. Keep up the great work!
First time I see a smoothie like this one. That looks healthy. We love Hawaii. Can’t wait to go back.
This looks like an energizer smoothie — perfect to boost energy after a workout!!
delicious combination of fruit looks fabulous
Interesting. I’ve never prepared a smoothie by freezing all of the components first. I’ll have to give it a try! I do, however, use dates in my smoothies. Provides a nice sweetness.
You are right, this is no average smoothie at all. I love everything in it.
Oh wow! I’ve been drinking a log of smoothies lately, and this one sounds soo good.
looks great and love thinking that you could make up ingredients for several and then make when desired!
These look so good. I have a bag of dates in the cupboard and all the fruits are easily gotten at the market here. Next time papaya and mangoes are on sale, I will buy and then freeze them. I have never been to Hawaii but I know a few people who live there. Your pictures are sooo pretty. I want to go.
Hello,
this smoothie looks perfect. It has so many delicious ingredients that I usually love. It must be delicious. Great recipe, thanks.
This looks so much better than your average smoothie. I also like a really cold smoothie (more like sorbet) that starts with a lot of frozen ingredients. The dates, frozen coconut milk, and macadamia nuts are genius.
This looks so much better than your average smoothie. I also like a really cold smoothie (more like sorbet) that starts with a lot of frozen ingredients. The dates, frozen coconut milk, and macadamia nuts are genius.
The Complete Package and I vacationed in Hanalei Bay and hit this smoothie stand at least 5 times during the week. Our favorite – the Date With Fate. How did I miss this post when you published it? Of all the recipes! Not only is it THE drink, but it’s THE smoothie shack. Incredible. I hope you had as wonderful a time on Kauai as we did. What a wonderful piece of paradise; especially the north shore.