Hurricane Sandy has really put a damper on reality. Even the grocery stores are lined with barren shelves and day old bread. Sometimes you can find awesome deals though. Since the gas shortage has no end in sight, I decided to spend my time at home over the weekend. Opted for a noon run before lounging on the couch for the rest of the afternoon. Before that I did however use what is left in my gas tank to drive to the grocery store. Good thing it's only about 3 miles from my house. Since I knew I was going to go for a run soon as I got home from the store, I thought I'd take the opportunity [and time] to make a new post-workout protein shake. And 3 for $1 Kiwis sounded like the winning ingredient! What pairs well with Kiwis you ask? Strawberries of course. But I didn't really want to buy a whole carton of strawberries to only use 4. That's when it hit me - coconut! I've got coconut milk and shredded coconut at home! Sounds amazing! And amazing it was!

Perfect for a post-run meal - this smoothie is packed with lean protein and carbs our bodies need to replenish energy stores. On top of that, the tart and sweet flavor of the Kiwi was the perfect compliment to the smooth creaminess of the coconut. And the fact that it was green with little black dots made it oh-so-fun! Ok enough over-enthusiasm.  Here's the recipe:

Question: Do you like Kiwi? What's your favorite way to enjoy this sweet green fruit?

Kiwi Coconut Protein Smoothie

Prep time: 7-10 minutes - makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

2 kiwi, sliced and skin removed 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar-free/fat-free instant pudding mix (powder) 1 scoop vanilla or unflavored whey protein 2 tablespoons shredded coconut ice

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a blender including 1 tablespoon shredded coconut. Blend until smooth. You may need more or less ice for thicker consistency of smoothie. Top with the rest of the shredded coconut and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts Per Serving Calories 358, Calories from fat 102, Total Fat 12g, Sat. fat 9g, Trans fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 213mg, Total Carbohydrate 37g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 26g, Protein 30g, Iron 1.4mg Source: Nutritiondata.com