The Tropical Kiki Smoothie
Who doesn’t want to go to Hawaii, RIGHT NOW?
Close your eyes, take a sip. Ahhhh, hear the ocean? Taste the pineapple and the coconut? You might start doing the hula now, because you’ve just sipped your way to Hawaii.
Estimated time: 10 minutes
Effort/Skill: Easy
Ingredients & Directions
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen coconut chucks (substitute with ½ cup coconut flakes or coconut ice cream)
½ - 1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp hemp hearts
2 medjool dates (optional)
Add all frozen ingredients to a blender and gradually add almond milk until smooth and desired consistency. Makes more than enough for you and a hula-friend. Sip away while you listen to your favourite surf tunes.
NOURISHED FACT
Why are chia seeds so wondrous?
Most of us hear that cha-cha-chis jingle in our heads when we think of chia seeds and what kind of crazy haircut we could carve for our new ceramic friend. What we didn't know then was that chia is now categorized as a superfood. Chia is otherwise known as Salvia hispanica and has historical relevance in Mayan culture.
Chia has been shown in studies to lower cholesterol levels, help to regulate blood pressure and may have an effect to educe inflammation (US Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health). Because chia seeds contain soluble fibre, you’ll notice a gel-like substance forming around the seed when placed in liquid. This mucilage is to help the seed germinate into a plant, but in cooking applications this helps with binding ingredients together and can be used as a substitute for eggs or fat in baking.
What’s so special about hemp hearts?
While chia makes us sing an ad jingle, hemp likely makes you feel like you’re about to indulge in something illegal. Hemp seeds (or more fashionably known as hemp hearts), like most seeds contain a fair amount of fat. However, they’re rich in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. But the ratio is key here. With our diets supercharged with omega-6s, we struggle to find omega-3s and keep the balance in check. Hemp seeds offer just the right ratio 3:1 (omega-3:omega-6). They pack in the fibre, protein and are a great source of vitamin niacin, riboflavin, B6, folate and thiamine, along with vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.
Like their chia friends, hemp seeds are also known as a superfood and studies have shown benefits from lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and aid in heart health.
In Canada, we ensure that the hemp seeds produced for their nutritional benefits are not cross-contaminated by THC from the very viable cannabis industry.
