Creamy Mango-Persimmon Smoothie Recipe

Once you make this smoothie, you’ll want to keep making it — and drinking it — over and over again. No joke, this smoothie tastes likes the freshest, healthiest Creamsicle you’ve ever had.

Mango is definitely a key ingredient, but the real superstar her is persimmon, which provides sweetness and creaminess while letting the mango flavor shine through. If you’ve never tried a persimmon before, I insist you hunt one down when they’re in season (i.e. right now): They are a game-changing ingredient in smoothie making.

Persimmons are known for their sweet, honey-like flavor and for the wildly divergent textures of the two main varieties. Fuyu persimmons resemble apples in both shape and the crispness of their flesh, while Hachiya persimmons are more oblong and their flesh has a delicate, creamy, jelly-like consistency, which makes them perfect for eating with a spoon — or, even better — putting in your smoothies. Fuyus are great for smoothies, too, and no matter which variety you pick, make sure that they’re super ripe before going in the blender.

You probably already know Catherine from her popular site, and books by the same name, Weelicious, but you might not know that she spent the last 5 years making daily smoothies for her kids to get her whole family healthier. Packed with her years of research and experience, The Smoothie Project: The 28 Day Plan to Feel Happy and Healthy No Matter Your Age has over 100 recipes for smoothies that can serve as breakfast, snacks, and even dessert.