This beautiful Wild Blue Hawaiian Smoothie beckons to the tropics, but it’s a far cry from the neon blue cocktail. The color is natural, the flavors taste fresh, and it’s packed with nutrition. Plus, you can enjoy it year round thanks to the use of wild blueberries!
Why We’re Going Wild
Cultivated blueberries may be heading out of season, but my newest obsession, wild blueberries, can be enjoyed any time of year. They are almost always frozen (within 24 hours of picking!) to preserve their delicate flavors and nutrient density.
Tony and I recently had the opportunity to go to Maine during the height of wild blueberry picking season. It was an eye-opener for me, not only in terms of blueberries, but our food supply and food processing in general. We toured wild blueberry barrens, visited the Wyman’s of Maine facility, and learned more about those little purple wonders than I would have imagined. Here are just a few reasons why we’re now going wild:
They Really are WILD!
Wild blueberries can’t simply be planted. They grow wild and only in certain regions (Maine and eastern Canada) with an underground root system that takes decades to establish.
They’re Low to No Pesticides
Certified organic wild blueberries are harder to find because the farms are smaller and the certification process can prove too difficult. But one wild blueberry farmer we spoke with said that wild blueberries aren’t always sprayed. It is only done when absolutely necessary and even then, they use only about 20% of the pesticides used on cultivated blueberries.
They’re Higher in Nutrients
Wild blueberries have double the antioxidant capacity of cultivated blueberries. They’re also insanely rich in manganese (8 times the amount of cultivated blueberries!), which is a must for bone health. Additionally, wild blueberries are higher in fiber and have a good little dose of iron.
They Taste SO MUCH Better
Have you ever bought a pint of cultivated blueberries only to have most of them taste bland and watery? Unfortunately, I’ve had it happen more times than I can count. As you can see with my “in hand” picture below, no two wild blueberries are alike and their flavors vary, too. Some are super sweet, some are tart, but ALL are full of flavor. And together they perform a beautiful symphony that hits all the right notes.
They’re Lower in Sugar
Despite offering more in the flavor department, wild blueberries are considered a low-glycemic food and have 30% less sugar than cultivated blueberries.
20 Timeless Wild Blueberry Smoothie Recipes
To show how packed it is with antioxidants, that potent purple hue shines through in nearly every smoothie that a wild blueberry touches. But it’s super strength doesn’t overpower the taste. Wild blueberries actually compliment a range of flavors. In fact, they pair beautifully with citrus, herbs, spices, chocolate, and more! To prove it, here are 20 easy, healthy, dairy-free recipes for wild blueberry smoothies that you can make throughout the year:
- Wild Blueberry Coconut Cream Pie Smoothie
- Mind Over Matcha Wild Blueberry Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Pie Smoothie
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie
- Ginger Coconut Wild Blueberry Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Bliss Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Limeade Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Banana Bread Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Blood Orange and Ginger Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Banana Hemp Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Cinnamon Bun Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Meal Replacement Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Immune Boosting Tropical Smoothie
- Sunflower Butter Breakfast Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Cheesecake Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Cacao Smoothie Bowl
- Wild Blueberry Maple Mint Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry & Mango Protein Smoothie
- Energy Boosting Wild Blueberry Smoothie
- Wild Blueberry Thai Zinger Smoothie
And #21 is our Wild Blue Hawaiian Smoothie recipe below!
Photo credits: Wild Blueberries of North America and Suzanne Madore with Ethos Marketing. And a few are mine! Disclaimer: Tony and I did receive a 3-day trip to Maine to learn about wild blueberries, but were not compensated in any other way. All opinions here are truthful and my own. Consequently, we have switched to buying wild blueberries in our own home.
Special Diet Notes: Wild Blue Hawaiian Smoothie
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.
- ¾ cup frozen Wild Blueberries
- ½ cup coconut milk beverage or light coconut milk
- ½ cup pineapple chunks (fresh or frozen)
- ½ very ripe banana
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- Small pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon honey or your favorite sweetener, to taste
- Place the Wild Blueberries, coconut milk beverage, pineapple, banana, lime juice, and salt in your blender and puree until smooth
- Taste test for sweetness, and blend in honey or your favorite sweetener, to taste, if desired.
43 Comments
I’m a big fan of Wild Blueberries and love making smoothies with them! Thanks for all of these wonderful ideas- they all look so pretty and REFRESHING!
Right? It’s hard to go wrong with that purple hue.
I love wild blueberries and this smoothie makes me want to go BACK on vacation. 🙂 It might be fall, but I always love tropical flavors. 🙂
I’m with you Heather – a vacation is in order! I think I need to book a tropical vacation myself now …
Wild blueberries really are the best! What a wonderful recipe and fabulous trip. Can’t wait to try it.
blueberries have been so hit or miss here this year. I LOVE them, but we keep getting really tart batches 🙁
I agree, 2 out of 3 times when I bought conventional blueberries this year they were terrible. I’ve been happy with the consistency of the Wild Blueberries. Always a mix of sweet & tart.
Wild blueberries are the best!! What a fantastic list of wild blueberry smoothies! I’ll have to try yours first!
This tropical smoothie sounds so refreshing! I love the addition of wild blueberries!
Absolutely stunning! I love wild blueberries! Thank you for providing so many dairy-free and delicious ways to use them!
This recipe sounds amazing! Fresh pineapple always makes my tongue feel fuzzy, but I can use canned without any issues. The recipe is safe for my son too! I’ll have to make it soon. Thank you!
I love wild berries and agree that the taste is out of this world! Can’t wait to try your smoothie recipe!
What a fabulous idea for a smoothie flavor. It is a gorgeous color also.
I love blueberries and wild ones are so much nicer than the cultivated kind. I love all your facts about them. So interesting. I had no idea they were more nutritious but I guess if you think about it it figures. All of those smoothie recipes sound so delicious too!
I know Mel. I was seriously surprised to learn about how much higher they were in several nutrients / micronutrients.
We love wild blueberries over here! I always put them in my daughter’s oatmeal and they are so good in smoothies, too. This smoothie looks SO good and so refreshing, it is making me so thirsty!
That is such a delicious way to use them!
That trip looks so awesome! And I love pairing blueberries and pineapple together, so much flavor and anti-inflammatory power!
Seriously! Never enough natural antioxidants 🙂
Mmmm, sounds so refreshing. I love wild blueberries. And the tropical flavors here make me want to hit the beach asap! 🙂
Haha, I’ve been wanting to hit the beach for a while now Jenn!
This is perfect! We love blueberries so much but sometimes want new ideas to use them all up. Yum!
Hopefully this inspires you for the cooler months Lacy 🙂
Oh this looks so good! I can’t believe I never thought to put pineapple and blueberries in a tropical smoothie like that, and I have a lot of combinations I’ve tried. For the last 4 years we added blueberry picking to our must do list along with strawberry picking and the apple orchard (not all at the same time). This year we missed the whole berry season here being in California and I was so upset as were the kids. We all LOVE blueberries! Can’t wait to try this!
You will love the combo Sarah! Pineapple with the wild blueberries is a match made in heaven. And the coconut milk is, well, a must, don’t you think? 🙂
YES! My husband used up all the frozen blueberries! I went to make these this morning to celebrate the last day of summer. As soon as I get to Costco I’ll be making these for the girls, and umm myself.
Those dang husbands. Don’t they have any manners? They should know to get permissions to eat any food, especially the last serving 🙂
I have a bag of Wyman’s wild blueberries in my freezer. This is getting made!
Yes!
This is such a fun recipe! Will definitely be using it to spice up my smoothie routine!
These look so good! I love wild blueberries, too. They’re so cute and tiny!
Aren’t they? Of course, I’m a little biased toward little things 🙂 BUT, mighty things come in small packages!
This looks fantastic! I love that you brought the tropical flavors with the sweet blueberry! Delish!
Thanks Rebecca! They really do marry together beautifully!