- 1 cup (5 ounce/140 grams) frozen mixed berries
- 1 medium frozen banana, overripe is best
- 1 cup milk of choice (I like almond/coconut milk)
- 1 tablespoon nut butter of choice*
- 1 scoop (20 grams) protein powder or 1 teaspoon honey (or sweetener of choice, to taste)**
5-Ingredient Very Berry Smoothie
Yield: 1 large or 2 smaller smoothies (18-20 ounces total)
Ingredients
Directions
If you froze your (peeled) banana whole, roughly chop it. Place all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. If you have a high-speed blender with a tamper, it helps to keep the mixture going. If your blender does not have a strong motor, I recommend blending the milk and the frozen berries first, and then add the remaining ingredients. That will help avoid overloading the motor.
Notes
*I’ve made this with almond and peanut butter as well as powdered peanut butter. For a nut-free version, sunflower seed butter could be used, or simply omit.
**I have made this smoothie many ways, and I enjoy the addition of both vanilla and chocolate protein powder. For a healthy, no-sugar-added option that I can find at the grocery store, I like Bob’s Red Mill’s protein powders. When not using protein powder, I like the small squeeze of honey to enhance the natural flavor of the fruit.
For an added nutritional boost, you can blend in 1 cup of baby spinach and/or a tablespoon or chia or flaxseed meal.
This recipe makes a thick, spoonable smoothie. If you prefer a thinner consistency, you may add more milk or use some fresh fruit instead of all frozen.