This smoothie is a treat! It is definitely a bit richer than the average smoothie. It's not what I would call a 'daily smoothie' especially because of the use of the brown sugar. If you removed the sugar altogether, or if you replaced it with a bit of stevia, agave or honey, you could definitely have it more frequently without a second thought.

I felt like something rich and soul-quenching. Whatever that means. I just needed something exciting and a bit naughty because I am feeling drained and kind of moody today.

Here are the ingredients:

So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage (2 Cups, or however much depending on what quantity you're making) Unsweetened (there is also vanilla flavor as well as Original)
Frozen Organic Mango Chunks (or fresh, but if fresh was added I would add some ice because I like my smoothies chilly) (approx 1 cup)
1 tsp coconut extract (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 ripe banana (you could use a frozen banana if you wanted)
Couple TBS of brown sugar (or other sweetener) (also optional)
I also added a splash of water because mine was too thick but you may not need to

Blend until thoroughly pureed, emulsified and delicious. I pondered adding tangerine juice and/or pulp to this but it really doesn't need any other flavors. If you wanted to make something more Orange Julius-esque you could omit the mango, add the juice and pulp of a couple of oranges (or tangelos or tangerines, or whatever) along with some of the zest, another tsp or two of vanilla, some ice and the banana would be optional.
 

The coconut milk beverage is interesting. It really makes a great base for smoothies. Coconut milk from the can would probably be more watery and not yield the wonderfully creamy texture that this coconut milk beverage does.


Here's the nutrition facts of the unsweetened version:
 

Nutrition Facts Servings Size 1 cup (240mL) Servings Per Container 8
Amount Per Servings
Calories 50 Calories from Fat 50
% Daily Values*
Total Fat 5g	8%
Saturated Fat 5g†	25%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0g	0%
Sodium 15mg	1%
Potassium 65mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Sugar 0g
Protein1g

•	Vitamin A 10%	•	Vitamin C 0%
•	Calcium 10%	•	Iron 4%
•	Vitamin D 30%	•	Folate 6%
•	Vitamin b12 50%	•	Magnesium 10%
•	Zinc 4%	•	Selenium 8%
†Comprised of 65% medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) INGREDIENTS: Coconut Cream (Water, Coconut, Guar Gum), Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate, Carrageenan, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D-2, L-Selenomethionine (Selenium), Zinc Oxide, Folic Acid, Vitamin B-12.

The vanilla is, thankfully, not as sweet as I thought it would be. 7 grams of sugar per cup, which is way better than a lot of things. But you could go with unsweetened and add your own vanilla.


The addition of the brown sugar adds a depth of flavor and of course sweetness which makes it more like a milk shake--something I always want but never get because of the dairy and saturated fat and tons of refined sugar.

Love,
Hannah