Trick your brain into thinking it’s on vacation with this mango smoothie recipe

If you’re craving a taste of sunshine but can’t afford to jet off on vacation, this mango and banana smoothie recipe can at least give you the taste of an exotic getaway. It’s a great way to increase your fruit intake and, if you’re anything like me and starting to get just a little bored of berry smoothies, it provides a welcome tropically-flavored alternative. 

I discovered this particular recipe while carrying out reviews of the best blenders, and I find that the addition of orange juice brings a zesty freshness to the final results. 

Below, I show how to recreate a small piece of vacation at home with this quick and easy mango and banana smoothie recipe.  

Mango and banana smoothie

The mango and banana smoothie recipe I have followed is from @danna_mei, via her TikTok channel. It’s already been watched by 10.7 million people, and counting.

@danna_mei
♬ People (Sped Up) – Libianca & sped up + slowed

Mango and banana smoothie ingredients

If you want to add even stronger vacation vibes to this smoothie, you could swap the almond milk for coconut milk or coconut water. In fact you can swap the almond milk for any milk of your choice, just be aware that it may change the taste.

The original recipe included turmeric but I’m not a fan of the taste, even in small amounts, so I leave this out when I make this smoothie. Feel free to toss in a pinch if it’s your thing, though; it should enhance the summery coloring, too.

Using frozen bananas in this recipe gives your smoothie a thick, ice-cream milkshake consistency. If you don’t have the time, or the inclination, to freeze your bananas in advance, you can buy frozen bananas or simply use the fruit at room temperature. 

• Banana (frozen) 
• Almond milk
• Orange juice
• Mango (fresh or frozen)

To make this mango and banana smoothie you will need the following:

Mango and banana smoothie method

Step 1: Chop up the banana and freeze overnight.

Step 2: Chop the mango into chunks. Mangoes have long, hard pips running through their center. The best way to prepare a mango is to cut off one end to form a flat surface. Using this flat end to keep the mango in place, run your knife in parallel with the pip to create large slices. Then remove the mango flesh from the skin and cut into chunks. 

Step 3: Add the mango chunks and frozen banana to the blender.

Step 4: Top with orange juice and almond milk. The amount you use will depend on how thick you like your smoothies, and whether you prefer a more milky or zesty taste.

Step 5: Blend until smooth, stir and serve. If the smoothie is too thick, add more milk or orange juice. If it’s too runny, add more frozen banana and/or mango. 

Mango and banana smoothie verdict

Granted, no amount of smoothie can truly replace the feeling of sitting in the sunshine on vacation, but if you want to at least trick your brain into thinking it’s in warmer climes, this mango and banana smoothie is a tropical trip for your taste buds. 

The use of banana helps thicken the smoothie and brings a level of depth to the flavor, however, you can also use vanilla ice cream or even skip the additional ingredients and opt for a pure mango version. It all depends on your taste and preferences. 

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