Blueberry Banana Smoothie
This nutrient dense, dairy free, blueberry banana smoothie packs a nutrition punch and your tastebuds will love the blueberry banana combo!
I haven’t always liked smoothies for breakfast… and then I learned I was making them all wrong. The smoothies I used to make used to keep me satisfied for a very short period of time, leaving me wishing I would have had something else for breakfast!
Recently, I’ve learned the importance of balancing my blood sugar and making sure my meals have a good balance of protein, healthy fats, fiber and since I have Hashimoto’s, a starchy carbohydrate as well. I finally found the magic combo to keep me satisfied and not grazing the kitchen for a snack shortly after a meal.
Ingredients needed for Blueberry Banana Smoothie
This smoothie is loaded with nutrition. Part of starting your day off well is making sure you have a balanced meal to start! This smoothie is a fantastic blend of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats that should leave you feeling satisfied and keep you that way for up to 4 hours.
- Spinach- I put spinach in all of my smoothies. Why? You can’t taste it and it adds essential vitamins and minerals. If you don’t care for spinach you could do kale or Power Greens. Power Greens is a mix of baby spinach, baby kale and baby chard. I typically buy my greens from Costco and I freeze the container and pull out the amount I need each morning. This also prevents food waste because it lasts much longer in the freezer!
- Chia Seeds- If you need to increase your fiber intake, may I suggest chia seeds? I love these little seeds. They are a great source of protein, polyunsaturated fat (omega 3’s), fiber, calcium, phosphorus and zinc. Chia seeds are the richest plant source of omega 3’s. This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, but if you have any GI issues, decrease the amount or remove them entirely from the recipe. Listen to your body and what it needs. I can have 2 tablespoons in my smoothies with no distress but I know some are sensitive to them.
- Almond Butter- When looking for an almond butter I encourage you to find one with one simple ingredient, almonds. Target’s Good & Gather brand has a delicious almond butter and Costco also makes a good one as well. If you don’t like almond butter you could replace with peanut butter or any nut butter of your choice.
- Vanilla Protein Powder- There are a lot of protein powders on the market but my favorite brand of vanilla protein is Truvani. Truvani is also gluten and dairy free and they pay super close attention to ingredients, so I know I can trust anything in their protein powder.
- Banana- An excellent source of dietary potassium and they make this smoothie oh so creamy. I highly recommend you use a frozen banana. When my bananas get a bit overripe I cut them in half and store then in a Stasher bag in my freezer so I always have frozen bananas ready for my smoothies.
- Blueberries- A powerhouse for skin health, bone health and heart health and even cancer prevention. You can buy organic blueberries in the frozen section or you can buy fresh blueberries and freeze them yourself.
- Milk– I use cashew milk but you can use your favorite milk. For other dairy free options I recommend almond, cashew or oat milk.
Tips for making the perfect blueberry banana smoothie
- I use a Vitamix because it makes a creamy smoothie. They are easy to clean, too! They are an investment, but we’ve had ours for several years and have had no issues and it still makes the perfect smoothie every time.
- Use frozen banana, spinach and blueberries. I don’t like hot smoothies… and using ingredients that are frozen helps the smoothie remain nice and cold.
- If you want a thicker smoothie, use less milk. If you want a thinner smoothie, use more milk! Adjust by adding or subtracting 1-2 tablespoons at a time to achieve your perfect blend.
- Start your Vitamix or blender on a slow speed and then slowly increase as the smoothie mixes together.
- Adjust the ingredients to your preference! Want an additional tablespoon of chia seeds? Add it! Don’t want any spinach? Take it out! You should enjoy your food so make substitutions to make it yummy for you.
Can you drink a blueberry smoothie everyday?
Of course you can! Smoothies have become my go-to breakfast not only because I now I’m starting my day with all the important food groups and nutrients, but also because I can take it with me on the go to the school drop off! I don’t drink the same smoothie everyday but a lot of my smoothies have blueberries in them because they are so good for you.
How to make a blueberry banana smoothie
- Add chia seeds and frozen spinach to your Vitamix first and then add in protein powder, milk, frozen banana, frozen blueberries and almond butter.
- Add cover on Vitamix then mix slowly at first and slowly increasing Vitamix speed so it can blend well.
- Let blend for approximately 3-5 minutes until smoothie is thoroughly mixed, especially the spinach and chia seeds.
- Serve in your favorite cup! I love using these glass straws with my smoothies, too!
I hope you enjoy this blueberry banana smoothie! If you do, I would greatly appreciate you leaving me a comment and rating! Share with friends who are looking for great breakfast ideas, too! I appreciate you!
Blueberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 10 oz cashew milk (or any milk of your choice)
- ½ banana frozen
- 1 cup spinach frozen
- ½ cup blueberries frozen
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 TBS almond butter
- 1 TBS chia seeds
Instructions
- Add chia seeds and frozen spinach to your Vitamix first and then add in protein powder, milk, frozen banana, frozen blueberries and almond butter.
- Mix slowly at first and then increase Vitamix speed.
- I let my Vitamix blend for 3-5 minutes so it is mixed well (especially the spinach and chia seeds)
- Pour into a cup and enjoy!
