Lowcountry Loquat Smoothie

There is a delicious fruit that grows around here that is called a loquat or Japanese plum. I absolutely love it! When we first moved to the area, I wasn’t so sure about this fruit. It looked like nothing I’d ever seen before! Fortunately, one of my friends introduced me to this delightful fruit, and I’ve loved it since then.

Loquats taste like a mix of a pear and a kiwi. Sweet and tart at the same time, they have a perfectly balanced flavor that can benefit many dishes. I love experimenting in my kitchen, and I’ve made so many things with them. Baked goods, smoothies, popsicles, jam, and even BBQ sauce! Isn’t always fun to try something new, isn’t it?

Loquats also have a ton of health benefits. They’re immunity boosters full of vitamin C, which is so important during flu season! They also have a good amount of vitamins A and B as well. Dietary experts have discovered that loquats have anti-inflammatory properties as well. Loquats are one of those superfoods you probably hadn’t even heard of before.

Today I want to share with you how to turn this amazing fruit into a super easy but delicious Loquat Smoothie.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 large servings

Author: Inna of innichkachef.com

Ingredients:

2 cups loquats

1 orange, peeled

3 bananas

1½ cups plain kefir or yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)

1 tablespoon raw honey (optional)

½ cup ice (optional)

Directions for Loquat Smoothie

1. Add all ingredients except honey to a blender. If you want a thinner consistency, add 1/2 cup ice. If you want a thicker consistency, use frozen bananas and skip the ice.

2. Puree all ingredients.

3. Taste your smoothie to see if you like the flavor as-is or if you want to add the honey. If you decide to add honey, blend everything for a few more seconds.

4. Garnish as desired.

Enjoy!

I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.