Today we had the tennis courts all to ourselves for an hour and a half. The sun was shining, the cardinals were singing, and for a little while I forgot about every single stress in my life. This seems to be a theme for me lately. It's been a long, long time since life in general felt okay, but I make sure that I do at least one thing every day that feels good--just deeply good, you know? Tennis is good, picking berries is good, playing with kids is good, and roaming through the Asian foods market is good, especially because I can buy a whole perfectly ripe pineapple there for a buck. One buck! Not much costs a buck in this world, especially not something so darn amazing.
So, what do I do with all those ripe pineapples? Well, my favorite thing is to make smoothies. My current obsession is a blend of pineapple, mango, banana, and coconut milk. Here's my recipe for two tall glasses:
- One third to one half a pineapple, cubed
- Half a mango, cubed (2 for a buck at our store!)
- One or two frozen bananas (I just keep whole bananas in the freezer all the time so I can grab 'em when I need 'em)
- A couple of ice cubes
- Canned, unsweetened coconut milk, to taste (I use a quarter of a can or so)
Puree the fruit and and ice cubes in a blender until smooth, then pour in the coconut milk and puree one more time until creamy and perfect.
I pour the smoothies into two glasses that I've chilled in the freezer for a bit, then I top each one with a spring of orange mint from my windowsill. Summer in a glass!
Hope you're having a beautiful weekend . . .
Gigi ~
ReplyDeleteShall we call this the Stress-Free Summer Smoothie? Sounds divine! Pair coconut and pineapple together, and you definitely have my taste buds attention! Thank you for sharing such a delectable treat.
Bisous,
Melissa
Coconut Milk. The very name makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteYes, Mel, that shall be its official name! I love it. xo
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Pamela! :)
ReplyDeleteHeavenly! And we have a flowerbed full of chocolate mint, which would be perfect!
ReplyDeleteYes, Maia! Oh, I adore chocolate mint.
ReplyDeleteokay....totally YUM !
ReplyDeletebut could we add a little booze and call it a pina colada gigi style ? and then sit on the beach while a cabana boy fans us and brings us moist cool towels with a hint of mint to really cool us off.....
oh wait...fell into a dream there for a moment....BUT really, this is what happens when we stay in watercolor at our favorite resort....mango and mint smelling ice chilled towels on the really hot days are passed around :)
This sounds so delish! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us. I hope things ease up for you soon, I hate it when my life just feels off kilter ~ I am in a similar phase and it's disheartning at times. Good for you for finding at least one good thing each day. BTW, congratulations on getting your poetry published and on your wonderful award! I just noticed it on the sidebar.
ReplyDeleteSmiles
Beth, yes, by all means, splash in a little rum and add the cabana boy. Sounds perfect to me!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julia! I'm sorry you're in a funk, too. We both have much better days ahead, I can feel it!!
Oh that looks and sounds so delicious...
ReplyDeleteToday was a hot, breeze-less day here; this would have hit the spot and will come in handy for future burning dry days. Thanks for sharing :)
yum yum and yum
ReplyDeletei so need to buy some coconut milk
Oh I love the sound of this Gigi and I'm just loving the comment additions too, way to go girls....shame we can only hang out in cyberspace.
ReplyDeletexoxo
YUMO Gigi!
ReplyDeleteI'd skip on the banana if I may...banana reminded me of my baby food somehow!(err...I have memory like an elephant!) I'm sure it would still taste YUMO without it!
xo
we could so do with a couple of those smoothies, they sound delicious!
ReplyDeleteenjoy the rest of your weekend gigi.
" It's been a long, long time since life in general felt okay" - I'm sorry to hear it, as I didn't realise it had been going on for so long. You're certainly taking the right approach with the smoothies, and I hope these good moments coalesce and become a whole again.
ReplyDeletewhat a refreshing drink...I'll be right over GiGi...;)
ReplyDeleteand glad that things are feeling right again~
Thanks for the comments, everyone.
ReplyDeleteHKatz, this is just the thing for a burning hot day!
Char, I LOVE coconut milk. Probably too much, since it's so darn high in fat, but it tastes soooooo good!
DJ, why do we live on opposite sides of the globe?! ;)
Sammy and Glenn, Hope you are well! I've been keeping up with your work--you two are so busy!!!
Yes, Lenore, this would be fab without the bananas, too, of course!
Thanks, Mise. Yep. Life has been tricky for a while. I'm working hard to make changes, but sometimes we just have to deal with the crumminess until it's not longer crummy. I think it will be a few more months of crummy, but right now, you're right, I'm trying to string those good moments into some sort of whole to tide me over.
Come on over, Theresa! Wouldn't that be fun?!
xo g
Oh Gigi,
ReplyDeleteThat sounds just DIVINE.... I'm so sorry that things are still tricky and crummy....when times are like that, they don't get better immediately but, I just know that you will find contentment very soon and can enjoy everything with a happy heart again.
..... and, thank you so much for your beautiful comment on my giveaway post. You are so kind and generous and I'm so glad that I found you, Gigi.
Take care of yourself....Wimbledon starts tomorrow !! XXXX
feeling 'deeply good' just once in a day is a wonderful feat, my dear ...
ReplyDeleteit is what we all ought to strive for ... cuz this is 'life', right?
if we aren't living it, then what are we going?
and i say that if the girls want to throw
in a little rum ... and a cabana boy ...
then, i say let's get the party started ...
and right now is perfect!
i am pretty sure it was debra who introduced me to mojitos last summer ... and just this week my neighbour brought me a new mint plant just to make sure we would have enough to muddle into our mojitos this summer!
thanks to you, i will definitely be adding your delightfully delish 'stress-free summer smoothies' to our cocktail hour ...
can we expect you?
*hugs hugs*
prairiegirl
Cardinals singing would be most delightful. We don't have them here in Oregon, but I do remember a time gone by enjoying their song. The smoothie sounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteDELICIOUS! Pineapple, mango, coconut milk...mmm... Pour me a tall one please, Gigi! :o) Happy Summer Days, my friend ((HUGS))
ReplyDeleteGigi~
ReplyDeleteFor fellow Lowellians, what is the address of "your" pineapple market?
Hi, Lola,
ReplyDeleteI got mine at the Bangkok Market on Chelmsford Street, just past 119 Gallery as you're heading away from downtown. They often have great fruit specials and a huge selection of fresh Asian herbs and greens. Sometimes Battambang has good deals, too, but the last couple of times I went there, I felt like it had gone downhill. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this. Do you have any favorite Asian markets in Lowell?
Oh, Gigi - that sounds fabulous! We are big into smoothies right now in our house too, and this one will be a welcome addition! Thank you so much! Sending you warm hugs and sunshine! xxoo :)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds absolutely decadent! I do have to admit that the first thought that came to my mind was...add rum:)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteGiGi, that sounds sooo good. How many calories?? Oh what the heck.. yvonne
ReplyDeletekeep finding things that make you smile. That is one of the jobs we have in life. It's easy when you are open to seeing so many miracles around you - the beach, a sweet pinapple, nature....We are too stressed these days. I've been dealing with stress manifesting iteself in my body....I'm not afraid of it, I just have to change my life a bit here and there. paz to you.
ReplyDeleteI love coconut milk too. I have worried about the fat content (a little), but isn't non-animal fat usually a bit better for us? Maybe not better, but not as bad. Hmmm. I must look this up. For now, I'm sure one of these smoothies will suit me just fine. If only I knew where to find your $1 pineapple...
ReplyDeletehi gigi
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing this recipe. a friend and i started using strong chai tea as a base, add a splash of almond milk (to desired taste), then add vanilla protein powder and blend. just like chai latte.
and cool, im moving close to an asian market. wooo cheap pineapple
~laura x
love the taste of coconut.
ReplyDeleteDelicious Gigi......I will be remembering this combination, thank you....xv
ReplyDeletePineapple and coconut are heavenly together. I can't wait to make this drink!
ReplyDelete