Tropical Tantra Chai Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut beverage*
• ½ tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp Tea Forté Turmeric Tantra Chai loose leaf tea
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• pinch of fresh ground black pepper
• ½ a frozen banana
• ½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
• ½ cup frozen mango chunks
• ½ tsp vanilla extract 
• chia seeds or shredded coconut for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut beverage, ginger, maple syrup, turmeric powder and loose tea over medium heat until softly boiling.
2. Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes.
3. Strain the liquid into a heat-proof container and chill in the refrigerator until cool, about 30 minutes. Discard the tea leaves.
4. Once cooled, add the steeped tea liquid into a blender with the frozen banana, pineapple, mango and vanilla extract and blend until smooth.
5. Pour into a glass and enjoy! Garnish with chia seeds or coconut if desired.

 Yields: One 12 oz smoothie

* This can be found in most grocery stores shelves in soft-sided cartons. This is not the same as coconut milk, which typically comes in aluminum cans and is much thicker.