Ripe banana adds sweetness and, along with a little yogurt, makes the mixture creamy. I love using kefir for smoothies since it’s extra easy to pour and mix, but any yogurt will do, including non-dairy varieties. Frozen fruit gives the drink the best texture, but you can use fresh fruit, too. Just add a scoop of ice cubes to make it nice and cold. This recipe is made with enough fruit to get a big blender going, but you should be able to squeeze it into a single-serving blender, too. If you’re in need of a new blender, here is a list of the best blenders.
Use Ripe Bananas
My favorite ingredient to use in smoothies is frozen, ripe banana. When I say ripe, I mean lots of spots, a bit mushy, and riper than most people like to eat fresh. It needs enough structure to be successfully frozen (not total mush) but should be super sweet. Ripe bananas add natural sweetness to the smoothie so you don’t have to add honey or other sweeteners. Freezing them keeps your drink cold and makes the mixture unbelievably creamy.
How to Freeze Fresh Fruit for Smoothies
For the coldest, creamiest smoothie possible, use quality frozen fruit. Store-bought frozen fruit is a convenient option and is especially handy when berry season is long gone. Keep bags tightly closed and consistently frozen to avoid icy, dull-tasting fruit. It’s also easy to freeze fresh ripe fruit, and it’s a great option when strawberries are dirt cheap at the supermarket or you bought a few too many bananas. To freeze strawberries: Give them a good wash, drain, and let them completely dry. Cap the berries and slice them in half, placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. They’ll keep for two months. To freeze bananas: Simply peel and slice into chunks. Stick the baking sheet full of fruit in the freezer for at least an hour, or until the fruit is frozen solid. Scoop into a zip-top freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and seal. Frozen bananas will keep for a month.
Tips for Making Smoothies
Here are a few tips for making the best smoothies possible:
Start with ripe fruit. High quality fruit means better taste which makes a delicious smoothie.Use frozen fruit. Frozen fruit makes for a creamier, more refreshing smoothie.You don’t need ice. Since you’re using frozen fruit, there’s also no need to include ice in the mixture. Your smoothie will be much more flavorful this way because the ice won’t dilute the other ingredients.Plan ahead. Measure out the fruit for a few batches of smoothies into separate zip-top freezer bags. When it’s smoothie time, add the contents of one bag to the blender along with the milk and yogurt for a super quick breakfast or snack.
Strawberry Banana Smoothie Swaps and Substitutions
The great thing about smoothies is that you can add or switch out ingredients to make it your own. Here are some variations you can try:
Make this smoothie dairy-free by using dairy-free yogurt and non-dairy milk such as almond or oat milk.You can leave out the yogurt all together.Use vanilla or strawberry yogurt for a sweeter smoothie. Alternatively, add up to 1 tablespoon of honey for added sweetness.Swap up to half of the milk for orange juice.Add up to 2 tablespoons of peanut or almond butter. Combined with the strawberries, it tastes like a PB&J smoothie.Add 2 teaspoons of chia seeds.
Need More Smoothie Ideas?
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