By Elizabeth Herman | Posted: July 06, 2020
With an easy, versatile recipe that takes less than 5 minutes to make and that kids of all ages will love, you can use these banana smoothie combinations to transform your blender into an abundant cornucopia of cool, summer tastes that can be vegan if you so choose.
I recently used this basic idea for a smoothie to prepare healthy, cooling drinks at the retreat center where I used to volunteer. The first combination I offered people was a more savory option that included cucumber, some chia seeds and lemon juice, in addition to greek yogurt, apple and banana. I also made a smoothie with almond butter instead of yogurt, a combination that tasted like rich, creamy ice cream when I sampled it after a meal.
For a very healthy green smoothie, you can add half a cup (or a bit more or less) of spinach or another leafy green to the basic recipe. You can also put in half a cup of whatever other fruit you like, such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, mango, etc. You can multiply the quantities of the basic recipe that follows, keeping the proportions the same, to produce enough for the number of people you’re feeding:
Ingredients
1 banana
½ apple, core removed
⅓ cup yogurt (could be non-dairy) or a lesser amount of almond butter (or other nut butter)
¼ cup water or non-dairy milk
Optional sweetener of choice, or herbs and spices for savory smoothies.
Instructions
Prepare your ingredients by peeling your bananas and coring your apples (but not peeling them), gathering your nut butter or yogurt, water or non-dairy milk, and any added fruit, vegetables, seeds, sweeteners and/or spices you plan to use.
Give the larger fruits a rough chop. If you’re using nut butter or greek yogurt, you may need some additional water or non-dairy milk.
Place the ingredients in a food processor or high powered blender and run the machine for a few minutes until everything is well combined and creamy.
Check the texture and continue blending if needed, stopping only when the desired smoothness and thickness is reached.
Additional variations
For an elegant, cold dessert using a frozen hard banana, take one frozen, ripe banana and one soft, ripe banana, a sprig of fresh mint, two tablespoons of sour cream, and a tablespoon of honey. Cut the bananas in chunks and then blend all of these together for a beautiful mixture that looks like a sorbet. Scoop it into a chilled, glass bowl and garnish it with a spoon of apricot preserves and some fresh mint leaves. This makes enough for one or two but you can multiply the amounts for more people.
To add nutrition such as healthy fat, use some avocado in this recipe. To add fiber and protein, use chia or hemp seeds or a protein powder if you have one that you like. By adding spinach, Swiss chard, kale, or another leafy green, you can brilliantly and painlessly have children drinking vegetables and loving it. Spices like fresh ginger, ground cinnamon, or ground turmeric would also be delicious.
For more creaminess, freeze fruit ahead of time and use it in your smoothies. First rinse the fruit, then chop it into small pieces. Dry them with a clean towel, then spread them out in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for two or three hours, and when the fruit is hard, transfer it into freezer bags in smaller portions. Place the bags back into the freezer until you’re ready to use the fruit for a stress free, easy smoothie preparation.
For a healthy summer that’s calm and peaceful, tasty, cool food isn’t always enough. Staying calm and happy can also be a vital tool for keeping yourself nourished in body, mind, and spirit.
You can learn more about permanently adopting a calm state of mind and creating a serene, nourishing atmosphere with Beyond Breath - A Free Breath & Meditation Session - Online Session With a Live Instructor. Have a great summer!
Elizabeth Herman writes, offers writing support to clients, teaches, and volunteers for a better world. She has a PhD in Rhetoric, Composition and Literature. Find her on Facebook or Twitter.
