Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie

 
During my Two Minute Monday video series, one of the most common questions I received was, “Where do you find your inspiration for recipes?” (Thanks to Taylor, Andrea, Maria, and many others!) Although at least half of my ideas randomly pop into my head during a long run or workout while my mind is wandering and who-knows-where, there are four other places I purposely turn to for inspiration.  

1) Family and friends. Sometimes it’s a healthier spin on a traditional treat that’s been passed down through generations (Grandma’s fruitcake comes to mind!), or something that they’ve created that I want to try too (like these soft-baked “Oreos!”), or a copycat or their store-bought favorites (aka Mom’s cocoa roasted almonds!). But most often, it comes as a recipe request (like these Nutella cookies!) because I really enjoy baking treats specifically asked for by the special people in my life.

2) Other bloggers. There are a ton of really talented food bloggers out there, especially when it comes to baking and dessert. Since I can’t possibly read and comment on every single one (how I wish I had that many hours in a day!), I usually turn to Pinterest to scroll through photos of their recipes and use those as inspiration for techniques and flavor combinations.
 

 
3) Dining out. Because the towering mountain of dirty baking dishes in the sink easily becomes overwhelming and scares me off from cooking dinner too, we sometimes go out to eat, and I always peek at the breakfast and dessert menus at every restaurant! The best occasion is when I can convince my family or some girlfriends to head over to a popular dessert-only place in town full of cakes, pies, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, éclairs, and more. That’s a baking blogger’s dream for inspiration!

4) Travel. Many summers, my family hops on an airplane and flies to a different part of the country — or world — for a vacation. (Kauai and Paris are two of our favorite destinations!) On top of that, my dad and I try to travel to a new city during the summer to watch a baseball game and check another MLB stadium off of our list, and since Dad is one of the most adventurous eaters I know, that means we’re constantly trying new regional cuisines. Those fun flavors (and yes, the dessert options too!) find a way of popping up in my blog recipes.

Today’s recipe for this Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie actually came from my sweetest inspiration source: my younger brother. For a few summers in middle and high school, he mixed up a smoothie nearly every day — always with fruit, sometimes with milk, other times with yogurt — and they always turned out delicious.

Just like my brother’s, this smoothie recipe is incredibly easy to make. You just need 5 ingredients, including the ice!
 

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A BLUEBERRY BANANA PROTEIN SMOOTHIE

Let’s quickly go over those 5 ingredients that you’ll need to make this healthy blueberry banana protein smoothie! Based on the recipe name, I’m sure you’ve already guessed the first couple… They’re two of my favorite fruits! (Although who am I kidding… I love all fruit!)

Frozen blueberries. That’s right — frozen! Fresh blueberries would yield a thinner and more liquid-like smoothie consistency, whereas frozen ones create a thicker texture. You can freeze your own fresh blueberries, or you can take the faster route and buy frozen ones as a shortcut. Both work equally well!

Frozen banana. Frozen bananas add an irresistible creaminess to smoothies, so slice up a ripe speckled one on your counter and pop it in the freezer for at least an hour before making your smoothie. Cutting it up makes it easier to blend later, and the smaller chunks often freeze faster too!

Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt adds a big protein boost to this blueberry banana smoothie — with zero protein powder required! Because I bake with it all the time in muffins, scones, cupcakes, and more, I buy a big carton of the plain, nonfat variety and scoop out however much I need. Just like the banana, it adds creaminess too!

Tip: For the best consistency, buy Greek yogurt that only contains milk and live and/or active cultures. (It’s fine if the label lists the exact cultures!) I avoid Greek yogurt brands that also include other ingredients, such as cornstarch or sugar, because they tend to be looser, thinner, and runnier, which doesn’t yield as good of a smoothie consistency. FAGE plain nonfat Greek yogurt is one of my favorites!

Milk. Almost any kind will work! I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk and unsweetened cashew milk the most.

Ice. The final ingredient! Because I prefer my smoothies to be really thick, I add lots of ice. If you like thinner smoothies with a consistency closer to juice, you can easily use less! Feel free to tweak the amount to suit your tastes.
 

HOW TO MAKE A BLUEBERRY BANANA PROTEIN SMOOTHIE

Like I promised earlier, this healthy blueberry banana protein smoothie recipe is super easy to make. Add the ingredients to a blender, and pulse until smooth. That’s it! I do have two quick tips for you too…

Use a good blender. For the best thick and creamy smoothie consistency, use a blender with really sharp blades. I love my Ninja! It’s very affordable compared to other high quality brands. I’ve owned mine for 10+ years (along with some single-serving smoothie cup attachments!), and it still works like a charm. (It makes amazing homemade almond butter and homemade cashew butter too!)

Take a test sip. Because the fruit provides all of the sweetness (no added sugar in this protein smoothie!), I like to take a quick test sip before pouring the smoothie into a glass… Just in case the blueberries I bought were on the tarter side! If the smoothie isn’t quite sweet enough, I’ll add in a bit of sweetener (usually liquid stevia or this granulated sweetener) and pulse a few times to make sure it’s evenly dispersed.
 

 
A full serving of fruit and a big protein boost? Now that’s my kind of way to start the morning! Thanks for the inspiration, bud! ♡ And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy blueberry banana protein smoothie!

Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 1 smoothie

This healthy smoothie is a great way to start the day! It's so rejuvenating and full of bright, naturally sweet fruit flavor. Greek yogurt gives it an irresistibly creamy consistency and also adds lots of protein! This recipe is easily doubled to serve more.

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients 

• ½ cup (70g) frozen unsweetened blueberries
• ½ medium (70g) banana, sliced and frozen
• ¾ cup (180g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• ¾ cup (180mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 cups (260g) ice cubes

Instructions

• Add all of the ingredients to a blender in the order listed, and pulse until smooth. Serve immediately.

Notes

IMPORTANT CONSISTENCY NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: As written, the smoothie is very thick. If you'd like a thinner smoothie, you can easily use less ice! Feel free to adjust the amount of ice to suit your preferences.

 

IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Before pouring your smoothie into a glass, take a quick taste to make sure it’s sweet enough for your liking. Some blueberries can be on the tart side, which can greatly affect the sweetness level of this smoothie! If it's not sweet enough for you, add a bit of sweetener (I like this liquid stevia or this granulated sweetener), pulse again, and take another sample.

 

BLENDER NOTE: For the best smooth and creamy consistency, use a high quality blender with really sharp blades. I love my Ninja! It’s really affordable compared to some high-end brands, and it’s very durable too.

 

BANANA NOTES: Slicing it makes it easier to blend, and the smaller chunks often freeze faster too. Make sure your banana is ripe before freezing! Pure yellow and speckled bananas have more natural sweetness and also yield a better smoothie consistency.

 

GREEK YOGURT NOTES: For the best results, use Greek yogurt that only contains milk and live and/or active cultures. It tends to be the thickest and creamiest, which yields the best consistency. I love FAGE plain nonfat Greek yogurt! (See the "Greek yogurt" header in the "Ingredients to Make a Healthy Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie" section above for more info.)

 

If you're not a fan of plain Greek yogurt, you can easily substitute another flavor of Greek yogurt instead (ie vanilla, blueberry, banana, etc).

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted in place of the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

 

NUT-FREE OPTION: Substitute your preferred nut-free milk in place of the unsweetend vanilla almond milk.

 

{gluten-free, egg-free, clean eating, low fat, high protein, no added sugar, nut-free option}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Strawberry Protein Smoothie
♡  Chocolate Protein Milkshake
♡  Oreo Protein Milkshake
♡  Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie
♡  Mixed Berry Green Smoothie
♡  Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy drink recipes!