FOOD: Tropical Smoothie Cafe

It’s cool, creamy, fruity and
savored with long, slow tugs through a straw—what’s not to love about a
smoothie? Clever as you look with this eco-friendly cup of healthy goodness in
hand, inside you’re lost in a dreamy childhood memory of milkshakes and
slushees with every sip. Therein is the magic of mainstream nutrition. It’s as
fashionable and fun as it is healthy.

Sure, the juicing craze first
took root in the era of bell-bottoms and bad perms but with its mod makeover
and nutrient-chic appeal, today smoothies are among the most stylish of
indulgences. Sporting all the splashy options and diverse flavors we crave,
smoothie cafés are a nod to a new culture of fresh, delicious alternatives our
busy lifestyles demand. As a snack or meal replacement, this portable new “fast
food” delivers a blast of guilt-free nourishment and sensational taste.

Owner of Oklahoma City’s
Tropical Smoothie Café, Tasha Stefanatos—a busy mom with a family on the
go—understands the growing need for quick and easy, yet nutritious foods.
Opening the Oklahoma City Tropical Smoothie Café franchise in August 2012 was a
natural decision for Stefanatos. “Like most families, we have practices, games
and events to get to all the time. Having a healthy alternative to fast food is
a great choice,” Stefanatos remarks. “The food and smoothie choices are out of
this world,” she adds. “The smoothies are Cadillac smoothies. Once you’ve had
one, you’re hooked.”

With 338 locations nationwide,
Tropical Smoothie Café has brilliantly mastered the “Eat Better, Feel Better”
mantra to which it is staunchly committed. The café’s smoothies are made with
simple yet superior ingredients including real fruit and natural sugar. An
exciting menu of toasted wraps, sandwiches, flatbreads and gourmet salads
boasts top quality meats, cheeses and produce, finished with intensely
flavorful sauces.

The recently introduced Island
Green Smoothie and Caribbean Carrot Smoothie are power-packed with five full
servings of fruits and vegetables including spinach, kale and carrots. In
addition to an irresistible line-up of smoothie flavors, supplements such as
protein and vitamin C offer a specialized kick to boost the benefits.

Reminiscent of the fare of
tropical regions, many of the outstanding foods at Tropical Smoothie Café have
a tangy, spicy twist. The savory-sweet Jamaican Jerk Chicken, in a wrap or rice
bowl, is an inspired blend of chicken, low-fat mozzarella, Southwestern rice
with corn, black beans, asparagus, onions and a spiced-right Jamaican Jerk
sauce. All-day breakfast items are also a hit along with Feel Better Favorites
meal combos starting at 380 calories.

For a limited time in June, the
café will feature a Hawaiian Summer Salad and Hawaiian BBQ Flatbread,
delighting diners with another fresh, carefree option.

June is also a banner month for
this vacation-like café with its 7th Annual National Flip Flop Day event. On
Friday, June 21 from 2–7pm, customers wearing flip-flops will receive a free
24-oz. Jetty Punch Smoothie and Tropical Smoothie Café will make a donation to
Camp Sunshine, a Maine retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and
their families. As Stefanatos reflects, “This is my favorite time of the year
because our entire franchise system bands together for one central cause—it’s a
beautiful thing.”

Visit their location at 3131 W. Memorial, Oklahoma City. For hours and
information, call 405-753-5454 or visit tropicalsmoothie.com.