Flex on the Beach Smoothie
Well, aloha.
I’m sorry I didn’t send you a postcard.
I didn’t find one that spoke to me. I was looking for something really sleazy, with six women lined up in different colored thongs saying “Flex on the Beach.” I know you love that kind of thing as much as I do.
I’m sorry I also didn’t bring you home a box of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts.
We bought a Costco-sized box full at, where else—Costco, and then got to the airport and someone realized his suitcase was five pounds overweight because someone had to cart himself home a six-pack of Hawaiian root beer. (That he can buy at the Fred Meyer thirty minutes from our house.) Since chocolate goes down a lot easier than root beer, after some serious bag reorganization, some serious power eating went down.
Thank goodness I don’t have to appear on the back of a postcard anytime soon.
I did bring you a taste of Hawaii.
The six inches of rain we’ve had since we got home is making reentry into society, into January, and into making responsible beverage choices very difficult.
It was a day with no bikini. No booze. No Tebowing poolside after beating someone multiple times at pool H-O-R-S-E.
Yeah, he probably deserved that root beer. And I probably need this smoothie.
As do you.
Flex on the Beach Smoothie
Makes 1 large smoothie
- 1 c. coconut water
- 1/2 c. non-dairy milk (coconut or almond recommended)
- 1/2 c. frozen pineapple
- 1/2 c. frozen strawberries
- 1/2 c. frozen banana chunks
- 1/4 of a large avocado
- 2 t. coconut oil
- 1 T. chia seeds
- 1/4 t. vanilla extract
- 1/4 t. tumeric
- 1/2 t. cinnamon
- dash of salt
- 1 T. vanilla protein powder (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and thick.
Well, that was relatively painless.
And totally and utterly delicious.
Even on the way out to pick up Gigi from school early due to the flooding evacuation.
That’s right. I slurped this down in the carpool lane in sweat pants and a rain parka.
Sexy.
It’s good to be home.
welcome home mama!
this smoothie looks fantastic. i think i’ll make one tomorrow morning so i can pretend i’m on a beach instead of surrounded by snow! i’ll keep the thong packed away though… i don’t want to scare anyone…
You will love it! I know the combinations kind of sound unusual, but if you make it just as it’s written, it is FANTASTIC. And thanks for the warm welcome home!
mmmmmm drinking it up right now!!! YUM!
welcome back!!! i LOVE the idea of the turmeric in here. it’s so delicious!
Yes! Thank you for backing me on that!
Delicious! This is a reminder that I need to make smoothies more often.
I highly suggest you add the avocado for creaminess! Love it!
Welcome back! It has not been the same without your daily stories
But hopefully you don’t go through the tropical-withdrawal I did when I got back… crabby for a week! 
Aww, so sweet. I missed you guys too!
We are safe! The avocado makes it rich and creamy–healthy added fats! I bought the coconut water at Costco, but you can really find it at most grocery stores. If you aren’t going out, though, you can just replace it with extra milk. Did I know you are pregnant?! My goodness, congrats!!!!
Welcome Back! We missed you! This smoothie looks yummy. So sorry you had to be in the rain rather than on the beach. Even though you’re surrounded by water in both circumstances, it’s all about presentation. Oh yeah, and temperature………..:) Hoping tomorrow is sunnier!
Well, Gigi’s school just called and said that they are cancelled AGAIN tomorrow, so things are looking up! Three day weekend! Thanks for the nice welcome back!
welcome back! yum-o. Def trying this smoothie out asap
Welcome home! I’m hoping you had a great get-away…but back to reality, right? This looks delicious – I’ve been curious about adding avocado to smoothies.
Flood evacuation? My brother lives up in Seattle and it was gorgeous with snow, but I’m assuming it’s all gone by now with the warmer temps and rain. Please stay safe.
~Rebecca
You can’t taste the avocado…it simply adds a wonderful richness. I highly recommend it and it’s a great way for us to get some healthy fats. We are very safe and dry tonight–thank you for your concern!
Hmmm…. Sound interesting! I’ve never used coconut water and not so sure about avocado in a smoothie. That said everything else of yours that I’ve made has been delish so I’m sure this will
be too. May try on the weekend.
I hope you do and then I’ll say “I told you so.” Okay, not really, but you should try it!
Avocados are AWESOME in smoothies – they make them super creamy and you can’t taste them
That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
Sounds like you had a great time! This smoothie looks absolutely delicious and will have me pretending I’m in some tropical paradise.
Thanks, Amber! Hope you guys are dry and safe up there too!
Mildly wet, not even close to what is down your way!
i love smoothies! i will try this one tomorrow!!! i’m french and would like to know something…
1/2 t. cinnamon..”t” means teaspoon?and 1 T. vanilla protein powder…”T” means tablespoon??? thanks a lot!
Yes, that’s absolutely right, Joanne! Let me know what you think!
ok thanks!!!
just made one! hummm so good! thanks a lot!
Yay!!! You are welcome!
I LOVE PINEAPPLE AND COCONUT WATER TOGETHER! I always get canned pineapple and pour the juice in with regular coconut water! So yummy! Can’t wait to try he combo in a smoothie! If only it wasn’t 2 degrees outside
welcome back. missed you much. love the nail color!!!
Absolutely loving everything about this. From the ingredients to the Hawaiian theme
Just came back from a brutal spin class and I’m glad I read this because nothing sound more refreshing right now!
Yay!!!
Welcome home! Definitely have missed your new new posts! This smoothie looks delicious and definitely tropical, and perfect for rainy days [where you pretend you're in Hawaii] are we see some vacation pictures soon?
PS Have you ever seen ‘Fat Sick and Nearly Dead’? he starts out insanely unhealthy, goes on a juice fast, and then eventually becomes a vegan [I think]! and obviously becomes healthy. Thought you’d be interested!
Do you want to see some vacation pics? I didn’t take a ton, and it feels a little skeevy to share them
Maybe I’ll put a few up here and there. I HAVE seen that documentary, and I totally respect and appreciate it. I’m not sure a juice fast is feasible for most people, unfortunately. I like to chew. 
That smoothie looks amazing! I’m so glad you had such a good trip and got to enjoy yourself! I remember my trips to Costco picking up boxes and boxes of Caramacs for my suitcase home. (My Aunt was awesome and I always got to check two bags at the airport, one was usually a food bag! ;p) I hope the rain lets up and you guys don’t get any serious rain!
I <3 Costco. Especially ones in Hawaii. We just need to get some decent food options in the Food Court so we can eat meals there too!
I will have to give this a whirl. I did want to bring to your attention however, that while at my Costco this past week I noticed a huge display that I knew you would fall in love with immediately. Margaritaville sandals and let me tell you they will go with any and all of the TB shirts Pea Daddy owns. You are welcome
Not that you will be wearing sandals anytime soon in your state of saturation up there but you surely don’t want to miss out on this opportunity! HA! have a great night and welcome home.
Oh Lordy. Those do sound right up his alley. I will check our Costco. He can wear socks with them until it stops raining and then he’ll be REALLY hot.
Oh, did I fail to mention they have women’s sandals as well as mens? Just consider it a tip from a friend…
If your Costco is out, I am sure I could send you a picture for you to take to your Costco to special order- HA! Or, if you want to paddle down stream, Phoenix is not that far away!
We are thinking of coming back for Spring Break!
Thanks looks devilishly delicious
Hello weekend cheat drink!
Hope you give it a try! It would only be a mini-cheat.
I am freaking out over that recipe — flippin’ amazing… it’s like ALL my favorite things! I can’t wait to make this — seriously!!
Stop freaking and start blending!
I have been wanting to try avocado in a sweet context. This might have to be it!!
Welcome back! I’m hoping to see a killer Mai Tai recipe soon. I was a little thrown off by the tumeric and avocado at first, but I trust your judgement. After all, you’re the woman who brought homemade Kind bars into my life.
Ah yes, where’s the trust?! Would you believe I didn’t have a Mai Tai the whole time? I tell no lies. Is it too late to go back and order one?
I trust you. Most of the commentariat doesn’t seem to though.
Welcome home! I am seriously craving some macadamia nuts and pineapple! We leave for Honolulu in 2 weeks…with, wait for it, NO kids! This girl is excited!
Get out of here! No seriously…leave. And don’t send me a postcard. I will take some more macadamia nuts, though.
Aw- its always good to be home! Here at the coast our trusty rain gauge reflects 1.61 inches of rain since 7am this morning — hence the rain coat for the dog ( it just saves time and laundry from all the extra towels it takes to dry her off!) can’t wait to try this smoothie. Cheers to rain!
Oh wow. And this is the exact reason why we aren’t getting a puppy until the spring. I’d rather get new carpet than take a dog for a walk in the monsoon outside.
Yumm! I’ve been looking for some smoothie inspiration….just bought my first jar of coconut oil as well! On the to make list
It adds little crunchy bits throughout the smoothie because it solidifies in the cold. I love it!
Haha..love it. The addition of coconut oil + avocado are spectacular. mmm, so creamy!
Sounds very yummy!
How perfectly timed! I just moved to northern Cali a week ago from sunny, humid Florida…just in time for the rainy season! I’ll definitely have to give this smoothie a try…I’m also really excited about the idea of turmeric in a smoothie! Whodathunk?
Oh, you’ll love it! Give it a try!
I’m glad your back Mama Pea! We’ve missed you
Smoothie looks delicious! I made your gingerbread cliff bars and mmm sauce…they were great! !Thanks for the recipes!! SO delicious!!
I’m looking for a multi-vitamin and wanted to ask what brand you recommend for vegan/vegetarian and where you can find them easily?
Also how much protein do you recommend one eat daily on a vegetarian/vegan diet? My trainer suggested 60 but I’m at a loss of how I can get so much because I don’t eat tofu/tempeh/ setitan. I eat beans, nuts/ nut butters and whole grains.
Thank you!!
I honestly have just been buying the multivitamins from Trader Joe’s…I think they are called “super” something? You have to read the label to check and see on their vitamins, but many of them are vegan friendly. And they are very cheap!
As for the protein, I’ve been lifting weights A LOT lately, so I’ve been trying to get more–well over 100 g. Some really easy sources are protein powder (naturally), but also things you might not think of, like nutritional yeast and broccoli! Best of luck!
Thank you! Hope you have a wonderful day!
Hope you had a great vacation! It’s a shame you got caught in the middle of the past few weeks of tradewind-free mugginess.
Welcome back. I hope you had an amazing time and that it was dry and sunny.
Oh it was, thank you RJ!
Welcome home! what an amazing smoothie idea!! avacados sounds awesome in it! i really enjoyed this week of best of’s solely for the cereality post! i burned my first batch but when it finally gets done my hubby will be all that more excited about being vegan! these are my hopes!
enjoy that 3-day weekend!
Well, I’m glad you enjoyed the week! I thought I might run into you at the grocery store today
You know what? It is good to have you home. Huzzah!
Awesome smoothie, though your mention of choc-covered macadamias and Hawaii means that I’ve half a mind to replace the avocado with macadamia nuts. Macadamias grown and native to Australia, though, of course
Ooh, do it! Have a great weekend, friend!
Woohoo! Welcome home Mama Pea! We missed you:) hope you had a sensational break, I love, love, love Hawaii best vacation spot ever. The smoothie looks super delish and on the menu for the weekend:)
Thanks, Marion! Hope you love the smoothie and have a wonderful weekend!
I love the name of your smoothie…super fun
And I have soooo many ripe avocados to use. The next smoothie I make I will take your lead and throw some in. Creamy goodness for sure.
Love the flowers/lay, or is that lei? in the pics.
LOVe how thick this smoothie is!
Definitely had to eat it with a spoon!
Thank goodness, I think I was going through P&TY withdrawl. I’m glad you had a good time!
I’ve got the cure for your withdrawals right here.
welcome home! hope the transition is going well
I was thinking about you with all that crazy weather on the west coast this week – I was hoping you didn’t get delayed in Hawaii! (Well, I was kind o fhoping you would for your sake – another day in Hawaii is never a bad thing!!)
I was secretly hoping we got delayed too, but nope. Bummerito.
I think I’ll have a a little aloha in my kitchen later!
And by the way, your hair looks great!! Love it!
Thank you! It’s so much easier for me. What was I doing all these years?!
Nice welcome home treat….but now I have tacky postcard images stuck in my head! haha
You know you love it.
Yay for you being home, but Im sure you miss the beautiful hawaiian sunsets and the amazing weather ; )
Glad you had no delays getting home, and I bet the girls missed you so much! I also bet they asked you as soon as they saw you “What did you bring me?” haha! When I was little and my parents would go on trips by themselves, my sisters and I would always be excited to see them but would always ask what goodies they brought us home ; )
Oh the chocolate macadamia’s , well our box melted! We were super bummed, when we got home to share it with Anthony, it was all just one big blob!
Happy Weekend! xo <3
We were woken up at like 5:30 with the “What did you bring me?!!!”
Hope you have a great weekend!
as creepy as this sounds every time i ate pineapple while you were gone i pretended to be you in Maui. and i don’t care who knows it!
I only had a teeny tiny bit of pineapple when we were there.
We saved money by eating breakfast and lunch in our room (cereal, PB&J, etc.) and so I bet you ate more pineapple than I did!
OK, the weather is absolute crap outside right now but this smoothie totally has me dreaming of the beach!! Sounds like you two had a fabulous time!
We VERY much did–thank you!
That looks delicious and is so full of healthy ingredients!
It has to be. I had a LOT of chocolate.
Welcome home! Sorry the weather is so dreary…but that is like in Oregon.
And “life” in Oregon too.
I am so slow some days…must be a blonde Friday for me. Doesn’t bode well for other times I need to spell correctly
I wish I was drinking that Right Now. I’ve never had avocado in a smoothie and had to Google tumeric (sounds completely yum). I’m going to try this over the weekend after my run.
Welcome back – you know we all missed you!
Oh you should get some tumeric anyway for the yummy tofu scramble mix recipe that you’ll get in about a year.
Have a great run this weekend!
awww welcome home!
Mmmm…summer smoothie in the winter – love it! We can pretend it’s beautiful outside, with palm trees, and not the dreary-rainy day that is reality.
Welcome home and I’m glad your vacation was great!!
Mama Pea – since I’m pretty sure that your smoothie is made in a Vitamix, I had a couple of questions for you. What model Vitamix do you have? Have you ever made nut butter in it? Love this idea. Welcome home.
Yes, I have the 5200 from Costco. Love it! I have made nut butter in it, but a food processor works better (I don’t have one of those though). But I use it about 5-6 times a day for various things. Definitely my most used appliance!
yum! spent 2 hours last night hacking away at a young coconut (while almost cutting my hand off multiple times, i need a better knife set) — now a use for that coconut water! tumeric in a smoothie — interesting i’ve only ever used it for savory things. oh! and i just got your cookbook a couple days ago…already read it cover to cover, love how it reads like a story. your recipes make vegan cooking/baking so accessible – thank you!
You’re so sweet, thank you! Hope you like the smoothie enough to make it worth using that hard earned water!
oh it was so worth it! added some coconut milk yogurt too. yumm love the hint of tumeric and cinnamon
Nice! So glad you liked it!
It snowed here all day yesterday with more expected tonight. I think a tropical smoothie is definitely in order. We’ll crank up the heat and sit in front of the fireplace in our bathing suits, LOL. Love that you put avocado in there.
Oh wow! Enjoy the snow!
I’ve been CRAVING a smoothie lately. I definitely want to try this! Love the avocado addition!
You’ll love it! I’m not a huge avocado fan, but it adds so much.
nothing beats bringing some vacation flavor home! love it!
and hopefully there is no flooding! if so guess you better go back on vacation haha
thinking of you!
Chia seeds? Are they same used for a Chia Pet?
Indeed they are!
How did tumeric find its way into this smoothie? Can you tell me what you tend to use it for? I only reach for it to give my “cheez” sauces and tofu scrambles some color….
Thank you
I’d read in a few places that it adds a little something to smoothies, so I tried it! Like you, I usually reserve it for my scrambles.
so good to have you back
I hope you had a fabulous holiday.
very interesting smoothie combo, will definitely try it later!
Thanks, friend!
I’m drooling over this..not just because it looks delicious, but because I just found out I was allergic to: bananas, pineapple, AND avocado
Any subs? lol
No way, really? Gah! You could sub in more frozen berries for the banana and pineapple and maybe just leave out the avocado and add in more coconut milk for richness? So sorry to tease you!
Papaya and mangoes also adds delicious creaminess to smoothies! And they are both delicious along berries!
Just an idea
Ana
Ahh flood warnings!! Stay warm and dry and keep the smoothies flowing. Glad to have you back!
Thank you! It’s not even raining today, yet school was cancelled.
This smoothie looks like all kinds of delicious! I just got a blender for Christmas so I’ve been making lots of smoothies lately. Must work this one into the mix next week. This rain/flooding is nuts. You know it’s bad when OSU closes!
Right! Shouldn’t we be used to this by now?
I’m totally trying this. I would have never thought of adding an avocado to all that but I trust Mama Pea.
As well you should
Ooh all those flowers and that lime…this just transports me right out of winter. So yum!
Welcome back! I hope you had great weather!
This look delish–can’t wait to try it. Did you use turmeric for taste or colour, I’m curious…
Thanks! It’s for taste…it adds a hint of something you can’t put your finger on…
Welcome back! This smoothie sounds terrific and maybe I can even pretend that I am in a tropical paradise in Hawaii instead of stuck at work in cold on the east coast.
the question i was about to ask was asked by tonya…turmeric…so interesting!
anyways, i am SO GLAD you and pea daddy had such a good time. happy belated anniversary mama! loves ya.
Thanks, sweet friend. Love you too!
It’s good to have you back! I love your irreverent posts. I just borrowed a copy of your cookbook from the library and am very excited to get cookin’ from it next week.
Enjoy the book! I’m very happy to be back too, so thanks
Welcome back! We celebrated 8 years this past fall but on Cape Cod not Hawaii… Wanted to let you know that the kids LOVED the Zee bars and we’ve had Chickpea Taco Pizza TWICE since you’ve been gone (it’s just so easy to prepare after ballet & karate!). Thank you for the inspiration!!!
Awesome! Happy late anniversary
And thank you for the feedback!
Yum! I’ve never tried avocado in a smoothie, but I think I might just need to start–both because it sounds delicious, and because I have a compulsion to buy avocados EVERY time I go to the store. As a result, I have a mound of avocado to use up.
You can probably peel them and freeze them and they’d be ready for smoothies!
Yay, glad you are back, I am excited to read new posts and hear more about your trip! Hawaii is my top pick of places I always wanted to go, and one day I will!
Awesome smoothie, I LOVE adding avocados to my smoothie. In fact, I add it everyday to my breakfast smoothie, it makes my smoothie sooooo fluffy, it is creaminess in a cup, I absolutely love that. On of my favorite combos are blackberries + strawberries + avocado + vanilla rice protein + liquid of choice (almond or coconut milk) to make it to desired consistency + stevia if/as needed. It is creamy, dreamy, and berrylicious!! It is also good with blueberries (instead of blackberries).
Another favorite is strawberries + bananas + avocados + vanilla rice protein (or yogurt) + orange juice (freshly squeezed from the orange itself, I can’t stand the one in the cartoon). It is sooo good! Once my son’s friend was here for a play date and I made the smoothie for the boys as a snack, the boy now ask for the smoothie every single time he comes over
Ana
Can I be your son’s friend?
Thanks for the warm welcome back!
welcome home!!
Love the title of this post
Turmeric though?! Does that add a special spice layer or is it for nutrition only?
It adds a little something you can put your finger on in the spice profile. Give it a whirl, you’ll see what I mean.
This looks so good!
Nice. I just ate my weight in chocolate covered macodamia nuts. Ugh.
Welcome back! I hope you feel totally refreshed. And this smoothie looks amazingly delicious!!
Thanks for bringing a little Hawaiian inspiration to me even if I’m freezing right now! I might have to make this smoothie and drink it with mittens and a hat on.
No shame! And wash it down with a hot mug of tea
I don’t care if it’s snowing…I’m making this
Hey Sarah! I mean Mama Pea!
Was just checking out your website that you showed me when we met on Thursday and MmmMMmMMMM! This looks suuuuuper good! So, did you eat this as a meal or as a snack? I’m wondering about how many cals with all the coconut and a smidgen of avocado. I imagine it’s a dense drink, so I wondered how you suggest using it!
Love your writing and pics, too! Looking forward to getting to know you!
-Kristina
Thanks, Kristina! I’ll have you know, I’ve been at the Club bright and early the past two days
I’d definitely use this as a post-workout drink, thanks to the fructose. I gave this one to the girls without the protein powder, but for mine post-workout, I make it about half the size (1/4 c. each pineapple and berries, 1/2 c. coconut water, 1/2 c. almond milk + 1 t. coconut oil) and add a full scoop of protein powder. Oh, and a handful of spinach!
I also wanted to pass on another blog to you–my friend that is coming this week, Ashley, is shooting photos for our next book. She has her own blog, with amazing photos, but she is also gluten-free, which I know is of interest to you. Her blog is http://www.edibleperspective.com and has lots of recipes you may enjoy. Maybe you’ll get to meet her next week too!
Thanks for checking us out–I feel special! (and slightly embarrassed)
It’s currently about 10 degrees, but the sun is shining so that means this smoothie will be mine.
I had the BIGGEST smile on my face yesterday when your book arrived in my mail!! FINALLY! Apparently my family can’t take a hint because I asked for it for my b-day in Nov. and then again for Christmas and STILL NO book! So, I ordered it myself and can’t wait to start using it! LOVE IT!
I’m so glad you finally got it! I hope it lives up to your LONG expectations
Welcome back! This smoothie sounds tasty!
Welcome back from paradise! That smoothie seriously puts my in the Hawaiian spirit
I will just picture myself drinking it on a warm beach and not the icey cold snow weather here in NYC lol…I definitely will give that I try, I just bought lots of frozen fruit so I have all the ingredients 
Wow, does this look good!
Going somewhere sunny and warm in January is the best…but it makes returning to rain/snow/cold/gray even more miserable than it already was. Hopefully this drink is easing you back into it.
~Emily~
Love your blog! And just got your book and literally laughed out loud five times in the first twenty minutes! Thank you for sharing your world with us…
Hillary @ http://kidscommunicate.wordpress.com
Thank you, Hillary! That means so much to me!
Avocado in a smoothie? I’ve never tried it, but I would imagine it would be delicious.
Hi Mamapea! Thanks for all your delicious recipes. I’m nursing my daughter who won’t tolerate dairy so we have had to become more creative with our meal ideas and your site has given us so many delicious things to try! Thanks for a non-dairy smoothie that we all can enjoy
So nice to hear! Thank you, Sarah.
Dirinking this right now (had to sub the avocado for spinach)…AMAZING!!! Thank you for the recipe!!
Oh good! So glad you like it!
I remember that flooding! Several of my colleagues at Head Start in Woodburn had to leave early to pick up their children (in Salem). I am looking forward to trying this smoothie…and sharing it with the girls at work!
Hello Mrs. Pea,
How many calories are in your flex on the beach smoothie?
What that be a good post recovery smoothie after a run?
No idea on the calories. If you are tracking, I’d suggest using a online database and doing the calculation. And yes, I think it’d make a great post-run smoothie!
Hi Mama Pea!
I finally got around to making this smoothie, and WOW, it is super great! What a delicious combo of flavors, and I love how creamy it is. I used hemp protein powder, a bit of fresh vanilla bean, and coconut butter (instead of oil), and these subs all worked out great.
By the way – THANK YOU for saying this makes 1 large smoothie. I get irrationally angry at smoothie recipes that say “makes 4 servings.” That makes me feel like a pig when I drink the entire thing myself! ;-D
Great, Bethany! I’m so glad you like it and hate to share as much as I do.