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| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 350 | calories |
| 3g | Fat |
| 77g | carbohydrates |
| 10g | protein |
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| nutritional information | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 2 | |
| amount per serving | |
| calories | 350 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 3g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat 2g | 8th % |
| 9mg | 3% |
| 117 mg | 5% |
| 77g | 28% |
| dietary fiber 3g | 11% |
| Total sugar 64g | |
| 10g | |
| Vitamin C 12 mg | 59% |
| Calcium 301 mg | 23% |
| Iron 1 mg | 3% |
| Potassium 814 mg | 17% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) indicates how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories per day is used for general nutritional advice. | |
(Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
This banana smoothie recipe only requires five simple ingredients, all of which you probably already have in your kitchen. It's so quick and easy and a great way to use up ripe bananas before they get too much.
While you can add all sorts of flavorings (peanut butter! cocoa powder!) and other fruits (berries work especially well!), this easy smoothie makes a filling breakfast on its own.
The ingredients for the best banana smoothie
- Bananas: While this recipe calls for fresh bananas, you can use frozen bananas as well. If you have bananas that are getting a little too ripe, toss them in a bag or container in the freezer and you'll always be ready for a smoothie. In fact, slightly overripe bananas are perfect for smoothies because they're sweet and blend well.
- Vanilla: A little pure vanilla extract gives this smoothie a dessert-like flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount to your perfect vanilla taste.
- Yogurt: Yoghurt gives every smoothie a wonderfully creamy consistency. This recipe calls for vanilla yogurt to enhance the vanilla flavor, but you can use plain yogurt if you prefer. Any percentage of fat is fine, and you can use Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, or even non-dairy yogurt. If you're using a very thick yogurt, you may need to add some liquid, such as milk, to the smoothie.
- Honey or other sweetener: You don't need to add a sweetener to your smoothie, but if you do, honey is a good choice, both for its flavor and ease of blending. Below is the recipe for alternative sweetener suggestions.
- Ice: Ice makes a smoothie deliciously frosty and refreshing, but if you're using frozen bananas, you can reduce the amount of ice or omit it altogether.
Click play to see how this easy banana smoothie is made
“The banana flavor in this smoothie was amazing. I used the full amount of honey listed in the recipe, but I think a little less honey would be just as good. The recipe made enough for two servings or a very generous serving.” -Diana Rattray
1 – 3 tablespoons Honey
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 Middle ripe bananascut
1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt
1/2 Cup Ice
Gather the ingredients. Set aside 2 banana slices for garnish, if you like.
The spruce eats / Nita West
Place the ingredients in a blender in the following order: honey, vanilla extract, bananas, vanilla yogurt, and ice.
The spruce eats / Nita West
Blend, gradually increasing speed until mixture is smooth.
The spruce eats / Nita West
Pour the drink into a chilled glass. Garnish each glass with a banana slice, if you like. Serve and enjoy.
The spruce eats / Nita West
How to store it
- While you can keep a smoothie in the fridge and drink it the next day, sometimes the ingredients separate. Simply stir to combine again or add back to blender to blend again.
- The other option is to make a large batch (you can double or triple this recipe if your blender is big enough) and store the excess in individual batches in the freezer. When you're ready for another smoothie, set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to soften enough to drink. Stir well and enjoy!
recipe variations
- Add berries: Add strawberries for a strawberry banana smoothie. Blueberries and raspberries are great too.
- Add cocoa powder: A scoop or two of cocoa powder makes this a chocolate banana smoothie treat!
- Stir in peanut butter: Add some peanut butter and for an even more potent smoothie, add 1/4 cup oatmeal as well.
- Add tahini: Use sesame paste with a bit of cinnamon to make a banana tahini smoothie.
- Change the sweetener: If you prefer a milder flavor, substitute agave nectar for the honey. Or try plain cinnamon syrup for a liquid sweetener that pairs perfectly with bananas. Provided you like its taste, maple syrup is another good choice.
- Replace the yogurt with milk: Instead of yogurt, you can use a combination of ice cream and milk or non-dairy milk. Add 6 ice cubes (or 1/2 cup crushed ice) and about 3/4 cup regular milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk alternative.
- Make it a milkshake: Replace the yogurt with a scoop of ice cream and add about 1/2 cup of milk for a banana milkshake.
- Make a split: Make a banana split smoothie with your favorite banana split toppings. Use 1 banana, 1/2 cup diced pineapple, and 1/4 cup fresh strawberries. Add fun toppings like chocolate, butterscotch, or caramel syrup, or add a tablespoon of peanut butter or coconut flakes. Top with whipped cream, a squirt of chocolate syrup and a maraschino cherry.
- Make it an adult drink: To spice up this drink, add 30ml of banana liqueur or a flavored vodka such as vanilla, banana or whipped cream.
