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Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
There are days when you want to have something really quick when hungry or as breakfast on the go or as post-workout drink/snack/meal. This “Oats Banana Protein Smoothie” is the solution to each of such situations! It’s not only wholesome and nutritious but also delicious and you would want to have any days, everyday. Smoothies can take place of your favorite milkshake which is loaded with multiple artificial flavors and sweeteners.
And you won’t believe how easy it is to make the perfect one! Just a couple of basics and you’ll want to make it every other day. Kids are going to love it too, which is a big plus!
So, let’s get started with the basic elements of any smoothie and those are –
1. Liquid Base – It could include any kind of milk(regular whole milk, low-fat milk, skim milk or any other lactose-free milk or your choice).
If you want to opt for creamy liquids, you can use yogurt. Yogurt is beneficial for gut-health as it is a natural probiotic.
You just have to be careful while selecting base that it’s not loaded with added refined sugar. First step towards trying to get healthy is starting to read nutrition labels on food items like milk, yogurt, fruit juices etc.
2. Fruit and greens of your choice – Fruits add both sweetness and fiber to the smoothie. To get creamier texture like thickened milkshakes, you can use frozen fruits. If using fresh fruits, add couple of ice cubes to it.
Again, while getting frozen fruits from stores make sure those are non-sorbet/non-candied versions. Or, you can preserve your own fresh fruits as frozen ones, it’s that simple.
Along with fruits, you can add greens to your smoothie for added nutritions like spinach or spring mix, broccoli, avocados etc.
3. Protein – To add more nutritional value to your smoothies, add some protein. There are multiple whey/plant based protein powders available in market but again, choose one which doesn’t have added chemicals to it and has minimal ingredients.
Otherwise, you can add protein in form of tofu, oats or peanut butter/whole almonds/almond butter.
4. Added flavors – These could be the food items which you prefer as flavoring your smoothie.
Some commonly used ones are Dates, Raisins, Maple Syrup for sweetness.
Cinnamon powder, flax seeds, chia seeds, cocoa powder for other flavors. Moreover, all of these have added nutritions along with flavors.
Find the recipe here!
Now that we know the basics, let’s see how can we make this delicious and super-quick Oats and Banana Protein packed smoothie.
Ingredients –
1 cup milk
2 bananas (fresh or frozen)
2 tbsp almond butter
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp chia seeds(soaked)
Cinnamon powder and almonds (for garnish)
Combine all the ingredients together in blender jar and blend until smooth. If you’re using fresh fruit, add 3-4 cubes of ice for thicker milkshake-like consistency. You may leave ice if you want the thinner consistency, totally based on your preference.
Additional Tips –
1. As I already mentioned, thickness depends on fresh vs frozen fruits. Liquid base to fruit ratio can be changed based on how thick or runny consistency you like.
2. If you want the creamier texture, add avocados to it.
3. While adding greens or veggies, you can balance the flavor with sweeter fruits or by adding dates/maple syrup etc.
See, healthy foods are not always unappetizing.
Let me know in comments section below how did it turn out once you try it.. Stay healthy, stay happy! 🙂
My Delish Diary 