Tropical Smoothie

posted on: Friday, October 14, 2011


This past Wednesday was Children's Day in Brazil. Enzo was ecstatic. Maria was ecstatic too, not because she knew what Children's Day was but because her big brother was excited therefore she had to be excited as well. Siblings are the best.


I like the idea of Children's Day a lot and I like it even more that it usually falls on a weekday, giving the kids a day off from school. It's fun to feel special, it's even better to feel special collectively. It felt like every kid in the town shared a birthday.

Thanks Vovo Cecilia for the presents!




On Wednesday I asked you about your favorite childhood memory. I loved reading the comments. I wonder if your parents knew that what they were doing would turn out to be something you remembered so fondly.

Sometimes I let myself think about the future and wonder what my kids will be like as adults. I wonder what sort of happy thoughts they'll take with them as they grow up, hopefully there will be many to pull from.




I'm assuming they won't remember that I scolded them because the two of them got into the silliest argument. And that they cried. Oh boy I hope they don't remember crying. I'm assuming they won't because the great thing about kids is that they're easy to forgive and move on. In turn I promise not to remember their tantrums and their silly whinning.

I'm going to choose to remember this time in their lives with the smell of fresh bakery bread, hot pressed ham and cheese sandwiches, and their messy faces from eating too much Açai with granola and honey. Yes. I will remember their messy faces tinted with the purple from the cold Açai berry, only to be washed off by the ocean water later in the morning.

I hope they remember that their Mama bought Açai by the kilo and let them eat as much as they wanted. I hope they remember that we got the chance to live in a place where Açai was plentiful, and how lucky we were.


And I really hope they remember how much they adore pineapple and that they can each eat an entire pineapple on their own. I feel a pineapple challenge coming on soon in the Palmer household, though I think Christian still might win. Baby Maria will come in close second.

I hope their pineapple adoration carry them over to an adulthood full of tropical fruits at their disposal. That they will get to live where they want, do what they love, eat what they enjoy, and of couse give me lots and lot of grand babies.



(printable version)


1 medium sized pineapple
water from 1 green coconut (about 2 1/2 cups)
ginger
Juice of 1 lime
2 cups crushed ice
1/4 cup white granulated sugar mixed with a teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

  1. Open the coconut and drain out the water. If you don't have access to fresh coconuts you can probably find coconut water at your local super market. Find a brand that does not add sugar to the coconut water, you want it to be as mild as possible.
  2. Peal and chop the pineapple into cubes and set aside.
  3. Peal and slice a piece of ginger about 1 inch thick.
  4. Using a blender mix the coconut water, pineapple, lime juice, and ginger on high speed until everything is smooth. Pass the juice through a strainer to remove the pineapple and ginger pulp.
  5. Put the juice back in the blender and pulse with the crushed ice and sugar mixture until it it thick. The sugar is optional. Pineapples can be really sweet on it's own so most likely you won't even need the sugar.


4 comments:

  1. My husband and I had a conversation just last month, I think, about how Brasil has a childrens day. He wondered why America has a day for the moms and dads but not for the children besides their birthdays. I think its a very fun idea! I hope My children will be able to remember the things my husband and I have done to try to make their childhoods memorable ones. I hope they take away the good things and forget the not so good. That smoothie sounds SO yummy. I have been on a smoothie kick lately and I cant wait to try this one!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Probably, we don't have children's day because everyday is a day for kids. =)
    I like the idea of having a collective day exclusive for kids. Makes them feel important...
    I admire your pictures. Very animated...like they come alive real good!
    Kudos to your smoothie too, ginger really? kids hate ginger, but I bet, they wouldn't know because the smoothie recipe has been well thought of. Thanks! Happy Children's day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Damaris, I love the cups and presentation! Photos are super nice.
    We miss you all. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  4. WOW ! this is nice blog and its really great post....


    Gluten Free Recipes

    ReplyDelete

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