Smoothie Recipes

Banana Bread Smoothie

I love smoothies, and I’m always looking for new and different recipes. This Banana Bread Smoothie with Fiber One™ Original Cereal is the perfect fiber-filled way to enjoy the flavor of banana bread without baking!

Note: I worked with Fiber One™ Original on this paid post.

Banana Bread in a Glass

Fiber is one of those nutrients Americans struggle with. And by struggle with, I mean they don’t get enough on a regular basis. According to the Mayo Clinic, eating adequate fiber as part of a balanced diet is linked to a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and all types of cancer. Plus, fiber keeps you regular and promotes gut health. I don’t know about you, but that sounds good to me!

You may need more fiber, but there’s no need to turn to chalky supplements to get it. Take advantage of real food, such as Fiber One™ Original Cereal, to make easy and delicious recipes that help you include fiber without giving it a second thought.

If you’ve never added cereal to a smoothie, give it a try. This Banana Bread Smoothie has just enough cereal to amp up the flavor, and it supplies more than 40% of the Daily Value for fiber! It also provides a serving of fruit and a serving of dairy, all for under 300 calories.

What’s not to love?

Print Recipe

Banana Bread Smoothie

All the flavors of banana bread in a fiber-filled smoothie.

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana, bananabread, bananarecipe, bananasmoothie, fiber

Servings: 2

Ingredients

2 medium frozen bananas, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup Fiber One^TM Original cereal, plus more for garnish, if desired
1 1/2 cups 1% low fat milk
1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Place the banana, cereal, milk, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a blender or food processor.
Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
Pour into 2 tall glasses and garnish with more crushed cereal and banana slices, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 262 calories; 12 g protein; 59 g carbohydrates (21% DV), 3g total fat (4% DV); 11mg cholesterol (1% DV); 164 mg sodium (7% DV), 12g fiber (43% DV)

How to Make the Best Smoothie

Peach Melba Smoothie is a riff on the classic dessert.

Smoothies can be sugary, low-nutrient drinks, or healthy enough to serve as a meal or hearty snack. They can be bone-building beverages, particularly kid-friendly, or both! Smoothies supply fluid, and they can be healthier than soda and other sugary soft drinks. Smoothies run the gamut, so how do you make the best beverage?

I asked my nutritionist friends for their favorite drink recipes and they sent me these mouthwatering recipes! No two of these smoothies are the same. Explore all the links below, no matter what your goal.

Hydrating Smoothie Recipes

Every smoothie supplies fluid, but some have more than others. These picks are super refreshing, especially on hot days.

Carrot, Mandarin, and Cayenne Smoothie looks like sunshine in a glass!

Carrot Mandarin and Cayenne Smoothie from Patricia Bannan, MS, RD

Pineapple Ginger Smoothie from Nourishing Plate

Vegan Energy Boosting Smoothie from The Foodie Dietitian

Strawberry Lime Watermelon Smoothie is a delicious alternative to sugary soft drinks.

Strawberry Lime Watermelon Smoothie from Smart Nutrition

Mexican Chocolate Banana Almond Shake from Spicy RD

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie from Your Choice Nutrition

Orange Strawberry Layered Smoothie from Amy Gorin Nutrition

Vegan Energy Boosting Smoothie from The Foodie Dietitian

Frozen Mochaccino from Amy Gorin Nutrition

Peanut Butter Breakfast Shake from Real Mom Nutrition

Blueberry Cheesecake Smoothie from Triad to Wellness

Here’s how to make a post-workout smoothie.

Kid-Friendly Smoothie Recipes

Kids crave smoothies, and they love to make up their own flavor combinations. Start with these recipes, and let children and teens create their own sippers.

Strawberry Beet Smoothie is pretty in pink!

Strawberry Beet Smoothie from The Crowded Table

Purple Power Smoothie from Eat Real Live Well

Basic Green Smoothie from Curing Vision

Orange Strawberry Layered Smoothie from Amy Gorin Nutrition

Mama’s Berry Smoothie from Toby Amidor Nutrition

Mexican Chocolate Banana Almond Breakfast Shake from Spicy RD

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie from Your Choice Nutrition

Grape Juice Avocado Energizing Smoothie from Amy Gorin Nutrition

Easy Summer Smoothie for the Busy Mama from Crystal Karges Nutrition

Entice your kids with this peanut butter breakfast shake. Adults love it, too!

Peanut Butter Breakfast Shake from Real Mom Nutrition

Blueberry Cheesecake Smoothie from Triad to Wellness

Pear and Pomegranate Green Smoothie from Patricia Bannan, MS, RD

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie from Triad to Wellness

Smoothies for Snacks

Think of snacks as nutritious mini-meals, not meal wreckers. These recipes supply fruit, vegetables, and protein, so you won’t have to worry if you, or your child, eats less at the next meal.

Arugula meets apple in this smoothie and it’s spectacular!

Arugula Apple Smoothie from Snacking in Sneakers

Creamy Chocolate Cannellini Bean and Cinnamon Smoothie from Patricia Bannan, MS, RD

Wild Blueberry Beet Smoothie from Kroll’s Korner

Mama’s Berry Smoothie from Toby Amidor Nutrition

Chocolate Chunk Blueberry Smoothie from Patricia Bannan, MS, RD

Bone-Building Beverages

Smoothies are perfect for including the nutrients to make and maintain a strong skeleton, such as protein, calcium, and vitamin D.

Frozen Mochaccino has no added sugar, unlike most coffee-shop drinks that may contain more than a day’s allowance.

Frozen Mochaccino from Amy Gorin Nutrition

Chocolate Chunk Blueberry Smoothie from Patricia Bannan, MS, RD

Mama’s Berry Smoothie from Toby Amidor Nutrition

Wild Blueberry Pancake Smoothie from Snacking in Sneakers

Blueberry Cheesecake Smoothie from Triad to Wellness

St. Patrick’s Day Green Smoothie from Foods with Judes

Creamy Chocolate Cannellini Bean and Cinnamon Smoothie from Patricia Bannan, MS, RD

Wild Blueberries: Small But Fierce

A few years ago, I went on one on the best work trips of my life. I drove five hours to northern Maine to learn more about small, but fierce, wild blueberries. I already knew wild blueberries were delicious, and I learned a lot more about wild blueberries’ benefits when I saw for myself how they are grown, harvested, and packaged.

Note: The Wild Blueberry Commission sponsored my trip, and I thank them because I’ve never forgotten it.

Tough weather conditions actually produce delicious and nutritious wild blueberries! (Photo courtesy of Wild Blueberry Commission.)

How wild blueberries grow

If wild blueberries had a theme song it would have to be “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger.”

Wild blueberry plants are tough. Any living thing that’s been thriving for 10,000 years in a desolate location called The Barrens of Maine, and in Eastern Canada and Quebec, is hardy stock. Wild blueberries love the thin, acidic soil found in such cold, harsh climates. Go figure!

Unlike the larger, cultivated blueberries that are available fresh and frozen, it’s not possible to plant wild blueberry plants, which grow low to the ground. Wild blueberries spread naturally, and they have never been modified by humans.

Wild blueberries ready for harvesting. (Photo courtesy of Wild Blueberry Commission.)

The nutrition benefits of wild blueberries vs. cultivated blueberries

Are wild blueberries better for you?

A cup of either type of blueberries qualifies as a serving of fruit. Wild blueberries, and their larger, cultivated cousins supply good nutrition, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, the skin on both types of blueberries provide beneficial plant compounds called phytonutrients.

Eating foods rich in phytonutrients helps support brain health. Phytonutrient intake is also linked to a reduced risk for heart disease, cancer, and other chronic health conditions. Wild blueberries are smaller than the cultivated kind, so you get more of the skin in a serving, and a greater number and variety of phytonutrients.

Larger, cultivated blueberries are bred for a certain sweetness and size. In addition, they must be able to withstand shipping. Wild blueberries are highly perishable, and once picked, nearly every single berry is frozen individually within about 24 hours. Freezing wild blueberries right after harvesting preserves their taste, and their nutrition, which is the same as fresh wild blueberries.

Freezing these delectable dark blue berries means there’s enough to feed my year-round obsession! Here are some ways I enjoy frozen wild blueberries:

• Microwave 1 cup for 50 seconds, then mix with plain Greek yogurt. No sugar necessary!

• I swap them for raisins in this recipe.

• I make a Wild Blueberry, Bean, and Beet Smoothie.

You’re probably wondering: beans in a smoothie? I wanted a smoothie that was different than what I usually make and was a mixture of wild blueberries and vegetables (beans are vegetables, too). You can leave the beans out if you think they are too weird, but trust, me, you can’t taste them, and they add fiber and other nutrients.

Pro Tip

Rim the glass to dress up the drink, especially if you’re serving it as an alternative to cocktails. Combine 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons of beet juice in a small bowl. Invert the rim of the glass into the sugar mixture, rotating to cover the rim. Shake off the excess sugar.

Print Recipe

Wild Blueberry, Bean, and Beet Smoothie

Delicious and nutritious smoothie ready in 5 minutes!

Prep Time5

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beans, beets, wildblueberries, wildblueberrysmoothie

Servings: 1

Calories: 292kcal

Ingredients

1 small cooked peeled packaged beet (Save 1-2 teaspoons of beet juice if you're rimming the glass.)
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
1/4 cup white beans, drained if canned
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Instructions

Place the beet, wild blueberries, beans, yogurt, and maple syrup in a blender or food processor and blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Pour into prepared glass. Top with a few frozen wild blueberries and enjoy!

Notes

Per serving: 292 calories, 2 grams fat (0 saturated fat), 6 milligrams cholesterol, 312 milligrams sodium, 54 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fiber, 19 grams protein, 234 milligrams calcium, 3 milligrams iron

No Added Sugar Shamrock Shake (vegan)

Fast food green drinks are fun to sip, especially around St. Patrick’s day, but they are usually overly sweet and low on nutrition. If you’re looking for a healthier beverage, this no added sugar shamrock shake is for you.

This delicious drink supplies one and a half servings of fruits and vegetables, nine grams of fiber, calcium, heart-healthy fat, and much more, and it gets some of its vibrant color from matcha.

What is matcha?

Matcha is ground green tea that’s typically used to make a hot beverage. As a powder, matcha is potent and a little goes a long way in terms of flavor and color.

Does matcha have health benefits?

Matcha and other green tea contains antioxidants that may fight cancer. Drinking green tea on a regular basis is linked to lower blood pressure and lower levels of LDL, or bad, cholesterol in the blood.

However, there’s not much research on matcha itself. Even though matcha is a type of green tea, experts aren’t sure that it has the same effects as other green tea on health.

Does matcha have caffeine?

Matcha contains caffeine, but relatively low levels. As a result, this no added sugar shamrock shake provides a gentle energy lift, rather than a jolt.

I use McCormick Gourmet Organic Matcha Green Tea with Ginger Seasonings*. It supplies about 4 milligrams of caffeine per serving, which is the same amount of caffeine as 12 ounces of decaffeinated coffee.

When you make the smoothie with regular matcha, the caffeine content is about 50 milligrams, which is still far less than coffee. For example, 16 ounces of Starbucks coffee has 330 milligrams caffeine.

I hope you enjoy this better-for-you drink that you can make with a soy beverage so that it’s vegan, or with dairy milk. It’s your choice!

Print Recipe

No Added Sugar Shamrock Shake

A delicious and nutritious version of sugary fast food milkshakes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time0

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana, greensmoothie, milkshake, shamrockshake, vegansmoothie

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1/2 cup baby spinach or kale
1/2 medium frozen banana, sliced
1/2 pitted ripe avocado, sliced
1/2 cup unsweetened fortified soy beverage or 1% low fat milk
1/2 tsp. matcha

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
Blend on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth.
Pour into a glass and drink immediately.

Notes

Nutrition information: 281 calories; 16 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat); 6 milligrams cholesterol; 76 milligrams sodium; 32 grams carbohydrate; 9 grams fiber; 8 grams protein

*I did not receive compensation or product from McCormick or Organic Living Superfoods and they are not my clients.

Better Is the New Perfect

Smoothie Recipes