Originally published in the Summer + Fall 2018 issue.

It’s no secret spending time under the sun boosts your mood and energizing Vitamin D levels. But just as important as it is to enjoy fresh summer air outdoors, don’t forget rehydrate once you’ve been out in the heat. This summer smoothie restores essential vitamins and minerals with uber-hydrating ingredients, ensuring you stay energized throughout the day and keeping your skin and hair glowing from within.

The smoothie base — avocado, and steamed-then-frozen cauliflower and zucchini (which, we promise, you can’t taste) — is nutrient-dense and has a thick consistency. The pineapple and mango add a citrusy highlight, and the cucumber, aloe vera juice, and coconut water deliver hydrating elements. Creamy when blended, these nourishing vitamins and healthy fats will sustain you all day. When it tastes like a tropical dream, what more do you need to compliment a hot day in the sun?

Ingredients

• ½ cucumber
• ½ avocado
• ⅓ cup steamed-then-frozen cauliflower (cut into chunks, steam, then freeze overnight)
• ⅓ cup steamed-then-frozen zucchini (cut into chunks, steam, then freeze overnight)
• ⅓ cup frozen pineapple
• ⅓ cup frozen mango
• ½ cup full fat coconut milk
• ¼ cup coconut water
• ½ cup aloe vera juice

Optional toppings:

• Hemp seeds
• Shredded coconut
• Fresh fruit
• Sprouted nuts (in a bowl, cover raw nuts in water and let sit overnight, rinse before eating)
• Preferred granola

Instructions

Chop avocado and cucumber into chunks and place in blender. Add coconut milk, coconut water, and aloe vera juice. Add cauliflower, zucchini, pineapple, and mango. Blend on high for 2 minutes. Add more (or less) coconut water to find your favorite consistency. Finish with toppings of your choice!

Emma is an award-winning adventure writer and all-around mountain lover. Her work has appeared in the pages of national magazines, local papers and academic journals. She currently lives in Boulder, Colorado, where you can find her running dirt paths or scaling vertical rock when she’s not behind a keyboard or curled up with a book. To follow along her daily adventures, search for @emmaathenamurray on Instagram. To peruse her other work — fiction, nonfiction and otherwise — visit her website:www.emmaathenamurray.com.