Dole Pineapple Whip Smoothie

What better way to brighten up a cold winter day than a Dole Pineapple Whip Smoothie? Loaded with pineapple, coconut milk, and…more pineapple, this smoothie is the perfect way to bring the flavors of Hawaii to your home! Hawaii, known for a variety of fresh tropical fruits, is famous for their Dole Pineapple Plantation. When you visit the island of Oahu you have to visit the pineapple plantation (even though its one of the most tacky tourist traps on the island). Complete with pudgy sunscreened tourists in their floral shirts and cargo shorts, a hedge maze, and a huge pineapple grove, this is something that everyone needs to visit at least once. My favorite part though, is the Dole Pineapple Whips. You can enjoy these tasty treats in cone form, in a cup with pineapple chunks or as a float with pineapple juice. So many options to choose from! (Disneyland also sells the Dole Pineapple Whip at the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction, which I’ll admit is pretty amazing as well!)

Jacob and I visited Hawaii a couple months after we were married. I had the chance to visit this beautiful place when I was a kid, so I was super excited to return! One of my favorite parts about Hawaii is the fresh pineapple, I’m obsessed! The pineapple in Hawaii is so juicy and flavorful, nothing like what you can buy on the mainland. Hawaii has incredible fruit stands on the side of the road that sell pre-cut, fresh pineapple. What could be better than that? If I could have, I would’ve taken a whole pineapple home with me (too bad that would never be allowed!).

Recently, I’ve been having a bad craving for pineapple. I guess it must have to do with the cold weather or something that makes me crave the flavors of the island…I want to go back so bad! I decided it was about time for me to bring the sweet pineapple creations to my table…in smoothie form! I don’t have an ice cream maker, which I’m sure would maker great Dole Pineapple Whips, so I decided to improvise with my blender and make smoothies instead. I hope you enjoy the taste of Hawaii as much as I do!

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. coconut milk (almond or soy milk also work if you don’t like coconut)
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 2-3 cups canned pineapple chunks, frozen (I would recommend fresh pineapple though)
• maraschino cherry, optional

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in blender until well blended. Add additional pineapple chunks until it reaches desired consistency. Enjoy!