A light and refreshing smoothie perfect for summer and it only has 3 ingredients: frozen pineapple, cactus and fresh orange juice.
It seems as if we have went straight from winter to summer here in West Michigan.
We have been experiencing hot days which leaves me with no desire to turn on the oven. I'm all for anything that doesn't require heating up the apartment.
Lately with all this warm, sunny weather I can't get enough smoothies especially this light and healthy Pineapple Cactus Smoothie.
Have you had cactus paddles before?
In Mexico cactus paddles are known as nopales and they are my favorite. I like to enjoy nopales in my morning breakfast tacos and they are delicious simmered in salsa.
One of my new favorite ways to enjoy cactus {nopales} is in smoothies. It might seem a bit strange to put cactus in your morning smoothie, but trust me on this one. It is so good!
Incorporating cactus into your diet has great benefits. Cactus is found to be anti-inflammatory, helps to regulate insulin levels, and is good for your digestion! Only 3 ingredients are needed to create a nutritious and flavorful smoothie.
Fresh nopales is one of the things that I miss most about Mexico. I am luckily enough to live in area that has a local Hispanic grocery store that sells nopales.
I have also found nopales at my regular grocery store. If you can find them all ready cleaned and precut, grab a bag. Buying pre-cleaned cactus will save you a lot of time.
If you can just find the whole cactus paddles, no problem. Just be careful when handling them because they will poke you.
If it is your first time, I recommend wearing gloves as a precaution. Rinse the cactus paddles and carefully use a sharp knife to remove the spines. I find that it is easier to lean up against a cutting board.
I like the combination of pineapple and orange with the cactus paddles.
If you have never had cactus paddles, especially in their raw form, you are in for a real treat.
This Pineapple Cactus Smoothie has become my new favorite smoothie for the summer. It is light and refreshing, perfect for a hot, summer day.
Pineapple Cactus Smoothie
Light and refreshing smoothie full of anti-inflammatory proprieties and aids in digestion. If you can find cactus paddles precut with the spines removed, it'll make this smoothie even faster to make.
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Fresh Cactus Paddles {Nopales}, spines removed, cleaned, and diced
- 1 Cup Frozen Pineapple
- ½ Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
- ¼ Cup Water
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve right away!
Xo Jeni
Starr
I was recently wondering if people ate cacti, and here you are writing about it! Talk about coincidences! 🙂 ... We don't have a strong Mexican population here, which is why I guess I've never seen nopales in the store. I'll have to do some digging now, because I'm really curious!
rose
Do you require to boil cactus leaves or use raw
Jeni
I use it raw in the smoothie.
Juanita
Do you need to peal it first?
Jeni
Yes before adding to the smoothie.
Marcelo ponpon
I really enjoyed my cactus smoothy with celery, cocumber, orange juice, and bananas.
Jay
They are diced. No need to peel anything
Jeni
If you find diced nopales at the store, no need to peel!
shannon
I made this today and it was great! Very refreshing