Cooling Off with Exotic Summer Smoothies

If you’re like me, I am always looking for ways to cool off in the hot summer weather.

Who can think of cooking or eating in this weather?

When it’s like this, I just want to drink my meals and what could be better than icy-cold smoothies that are full of healthy FoodTrients! 

Just for fun, I created several more exotic smoothie recipes with a few of my favorite fruits from Southeast Asia.

Don’t be frightened by the fierce-looking jackfruit. It’s a native of Southeast Asia and probably first appeared in India. Jackfruit is a nutritional staple in tropical countries. It is the largest tree fruit in the world, sometimes growing up to 100 lbs., but most of them are in the 10-20 lb. range. It has spiky skin, a distinctive, musky smell, and a flavor that’s a lot better tasting than it smells—sort of like Juicy Fruit gum.

Jackfruits are valuable nutritionally, too. They’re high in protein, potassium and vitamin B. And, with about 95 calories in about a half a cup, they aren’t quite as high-carb or caloric as staples like rice or corn. You can purchase canned jackfruit on Amazon and some friends in Los Angeles say they have seen it fresh at 99 Ranch Market in Van Nuys.

One cup of raw coconut meat contains 283 calories, most of which come from its 26.8 g of fat. While the fat in coconuts is saturated, it’s a medium chain fat that’s broken down by the body into energy faster than other long chain fatty acids. Plus, coconut has fiber, minerals and supports the immune system.

Jackfruit Smoothie with Fresh Coconut

1 cup frozen young coconut meat
¼ cup chopped jackfruit
½ cup coconut water
1 cup ice

Mix ingredients together in a blender until thoroughly mixed.

Lychee fruit are native to Southern China and can be found fresh in produce departments May through October and canned throughout the year. Sweet, juicy and nutritious, these berries have a cooling effect on the human body, which makes them a perfect summer treat to help beat the scorching summer heat.

Lychee fruit contains 66 calories per 3.5 oz., comparable to table-grapes. It has no saturated fats or cholesterol, but contains good amounts of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. With 119% of the daily recommended value, lychees are also a good source of vitamin C and contain antioxidants that help fight free radicals and inflammation. They also contain B complex vitamins and are a good source of potassium to help regulate heart rate and copper for building red blood cells.

Lychee Slushies

1 cup canned or fresh lychees, sliced
½ cup frozen young coconut meat
1 cup crushed ice
½ cup of syrup from canned lychees (optional)

Mix ingredients together in a blender until thoroughly mixed.

Longans are natives of Southeast Asia and related to lychees. Like lychees, the fruit is sweet and succulent, but they are a little smaller and the sweetness is a little drier. They’re eaten fresh and also used in soups, snacks, desserts, and sweet-and-sour foods. Longan is used as a remedy for stomach ache and insomnia. It’s said to have a calming effect on the nervous system.

Longan fruit contains a good amount of vitamin C and provides 80% of daily requirement. It also contains minerals like iron, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. It is rich in Vitamin A and essential anti-oxidants. You can buy fresh longans online from Amazon or Melissa’s Produce. You can also buy canned longan, lychee, jackfruit and coconut meat online from the Temple of Thai website.

Longan Smoothie

1 cup canned or fresh longan fruit, sliced
½ cup fresh coconut meat
1 cup crushed ice
½ cup water
½ cup of syrup from canned longan (optional)

Mix ingredients together in a blender until thoroughly mixed.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy these cool, exotic smoothies. With their unusual flavors and high levels of nutritional value, they are perfect ways to beat the summer heat.