Kick it with da Kiwis

I'm heading to New Zealand in a few weeks, so this afternoon I sipped a Kiwi Kooler smoothie. It's light, sweet, tangy and will be disappear before the sun can slip behind the clouds.  I made enough for two, so I put the other half in a container to freeze as sorbet for another sunny day.

Kiwi Kooler smoothie

3 peeled kiwis

1 c honeydew melon cubed

1 c or about 14-15 frozen green grapes

1/3 c pineapple cubed

1/4 c soy yogurt

1/4 c coconut milk

handful ice cubes

*1/4 c water

1/2 t poppy seeds

(*if needed; or replace 1/4 c coconut milk and 1/4 c water with 1/2 c lite coconut milk) 

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend for about 30 seconds or until smooth.  Pour into 2 chilled glasses and serve with straws. Cheers! 

(Side note: This smoothie does have some texture because of the grape skins and pineapple strings.)

Substitutions for:

honeydew melon~pear

coconut milk~vanilla milk of choice

poppyseeds~just leave out..

You don't say!--------------------------------------------------------------

-Did you know kiwifruit was orginally called "chinese gooseberry" (yes, almost everything came out of China!) and then after that it was a "melonette?" 

-It's actually named kiwifruit, although commonly referred to as just "kiwi."

-Kiwifruit is high in vitamin C, dietary fiber, and a protein-dissolving enzyme actinidin as well as being a natural blood thinner.

-Italy produces the most kiwifruit followed by China (smirk) and then New Zealand.

-There is a special tool called a "spife" used to eat kiwi. It has a knife on one end and spoon on the other to first cut the fruit in half and then scoop out the flesh.

-------------------------------------------------------------(He didn't say...)

I'm heading to the North island of New Zealand next month, so I'll be sharing all my culinary experiences here on my blog as well as any recipes I can nab from friendly, unsuspecting kiwis (the people, not the fruit silly!)  I have heard much about Pavlova, so I might have to bite the pill (lactase pill that is..) and just try some, aye? ~Cheers mate!