cranberry coconut smoothie

rarely do i ever feel like making a smoothie, but never do i regret it! i wrote the ingredients down and made this one again, it's so darn good. it's even delicious after adding two teaspoons of spirulina! i think its the balance of sweet, creamy, tart and citrus that makes it go down so smoothly. any variation of these ingredients would taste great, so feel free to play around!

2 frozen bananas
1 cup young thai coconut meat
1 apple, chopped
1 tangerine or orange, seeded
handful of cranberries
handful of baby carrots
juice from half a lemon

blend until smooth and creamy, adding water slowly to reach desired consistency. serves two.

it was a happy day when we discovered young thai coconuts at the local produce outlet. i love that one young coconut packs around one cup each coconut water for drinking and coconut meat for use in smoothies and raw desserts (ice cream, pie, pudding, etc.) fresh coconut water is just about the most refreshing drink i've ever had. full of electrolytes and so hydrating!

if you're new to opening coconuts, you might want to watch a video or look at a tutorial. also, i recommend doing it outside on the cement or on a very sturdy surface. i damaged our counter, so if you think yours can't handle it, don't risk it. (it's retracting from the wall. whoops!) open your coconut over a bowl to collect the water, and strain it to remove the husk chips before drinking.

if i'm not going to use the coconut meat right away, i pack it in a mason jar and freeze it. it's great to have on hand for a quick smoothie or a tropical blissard. i plan to use coconut meat for homemade yogurt and sweet gratitude's coconut cream pie. i'll let you know if i do!