Like to prefer a banana smoothie with milk for breakfast? Try this simple and quick smoothie with dairy as the liquid base and have a healthy, nutritious beverage for any meal or a snack.
Other smoothies or drinks to check out on the blog are frozen banana smoothie and banana weight loss smoothie.
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About the recipe
In this banana smoothie recipe made using milk, I am trying to keep it low-calorie by using low-fat milk, but one can also use whole milk and make it high calories, which is up to each preference.
The smoothie needs very few main ingredients, such as banana which can be fresh or frozen.
Two other flavor-giving ingredients are cinnamon and vanilla extract which give a fragrance and sweet touch to the fruits to help us consume them quickly.
This recipe is perfect for replacing heavy meals with a low-calorie smoothie for breakfast or during snacking.
I do not prefer smoothies that add sugar or sweeteners, such as agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup, which contain sugars and can increase the carbohydrate content, which can quickly increase calories and gain weight.
I like to share a healthier version of smoothies, and adding sugar spikes the calories and leads to increase in extra pounds if we do not make an effort to burn the calories.
Ingredients and benefits
Banana
Use this fruit in the frozen form if you have a frozen banana in the freezer, or you can also use a fresh ripe banana.
Do not use a raw banana, as the smoothie does not turn tastier, and try to use a slightly sweet banana to avoid adding sugars, as the banana already contains sugars.
One single banana has a good amount of calories and reasonable amounts of sugar in a single ripe banana.
Therefore, do not add other sugars that do nothing but increase the drink's calories.
Bananas are a rich fiber food added to a breakfast smoothie to help you stay full for a long time.
Also, try to make the smoothie with banana always low in calories by using minimum ingredients to avoid weight gain.
Bananas, if used in excess quantity, can lead to weight gain.
Still, if taken in moderation, they provide fiber, energy, and enough calories to get going with daily routine activities and can also add to healthy weight loss diets.
If you like to make smoothies with bananas; in that case, I advise making them healthy and reducing adding many ingredients or fruits, which can increase calories and sugar levels.
Low-fat milk
I like to add a liquid base low in fats or calories, and here I am going with low-fat milk rather than whole milk, as dairy-based milk goes well with bananas.
Whole milk adds more calories and fats, which can be an unhealthy way of making the smoothie.
Therefore, I prefer adding low-calorie-based liquids such as dairy-based low-fat milk or non-dairy-based milk such as almond milk in unsweetened form.
Other milk that combines well with banana smoothies is oat milk, soy milk or coconut milk, which are healthy vegan alternatives for those who do not prefer milk.
Cinnamon and vanilla extract
Cinnamon gives a pleasant flavor to drinks and makes them flavorful by providing a perfect taste to any beverage.
Its sweet smell helps us quickly consume any food or drink, and if you love this spice, adding it is an excellent option.
However, if you dislike adding this spice, skip adding it. Adding cinnamon to the smoothie has plenty of benefits, mainly with weight loss.
Suggested
Variations and substitutions
Fruits: I like to add strawberries or blueberries, but other healthy, great combinations with bananas are pineapple, apple or orange, or kiwi in place of berries.
Milk: Replacing dairy-based milk with non-dairy-based milk such as soy, coconut, or almond milk can further reduce the calories and make it a healthier option to add to this smoothie or weight loss diet.
Spices and seeds: Not only cinnamon but additional spices such as nutmeg, chia seeds, or flax seeds make it a different and healthy smoothie.
Suggested
Ice: Adding ice gives an excellent texture to the smoothie and makes the smoothie easy to drink with a cold and icy taste.
However, it is optional, and skip it if you like to make it an ice-free smoothie.
Sugar: Adding sugar is not a good option as bananas are loaded with natural sugars, but if you like additional sweetness, add a slight amount of honey, or better to skip it.
Another option is to go with a zero-calorie sweetener to give a sweet flavor to the smoothie, and it is also a safe option if you are concerned about health and sugar levels.
Can I add Strawberries or Blueberries to the banana smoothie?
Strawberries can be combined with bananas to make them tastier or skipped.
Combining banana smoothies with strawberries or other berries helps supply the smoothie with more nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.
Therefore, fruits that combine well with bananas and go well with bananas are mainly strawberries or blueberries.
The berry's fiber source provides a filling smoothie that can easily replace a meal.
Healthy smoothies without added sugars help you stay healthy and fit without gaining weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Berries help in keeping cholesterol levels low and also prevent heart-related issues.
Always make smoothies and add healthy ingredients to make them tasty and nutritious.
If you prefer strawberries, make it a strawberry banana smoothie with milk, or if you like adding blueberries, make it a blueberry banana milk smoothie.
How to make the smoothie low-calorie and healthy?
This smoothie is a low-calorie smoothie with approximately 266 calories.
Another option to make it healthy and add healthy calories is to add one-fourth cup of oats to the smoothie, which makes the smoothie more filling.
Also, replacing milk with non-dairy-based milk is another excellent option to make it low-calorie and provide good fiber and protein to the smoothie.
Do not add more than two fruits if you prefer to make variations with the smoothie because they can increase natural sugars and can risk if you have diabetes.
If you like to use more than two fruits, try to use a banana with other fruit, such as strawberry or blueberry, to make it filling and more fiber-rich with low calories.
Suggested
Alternate or variations of the smoothie
Strawberry banana smoothie with milk
Ingredients
- 1 banana (ripe or frozen)
- ¼ cup strawberries
- 1 cup milk
- ice cubes
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- After adding them to a blending jar, blend all the ingredients and make a fine puree-like consistency.
- Serve chilled and serve fresh.
Blueberry banana milk smoothie
The recipe is the same as the strawberry banana milk smoothie, but replace strawberries with ¼ cup of blueberries and make this banana smoothie.
Note: Add zero-calorie sweetener or honey if you want more sweetness.
Recipe
Banana smoothie with milk
Ingredients
- 1 ½ bananas (ripe or frozen)
- 1 cup of low-fat milk (2% reduced fat milk)
- ice cubes
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Peel and add the banana to a blending jar or use frozen bananas.
- Add low-fat milk and ice.
- Add cinnamon powder and vanilla extract.
- Blend all the ingredients for a minute, and if using frozen fruit, blend on high speed until the smoothie purees well.
- Pour and serve chilled, and it tastes best when served fresh.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and consume them within a day.
Notes
- If you prefer to make the smoothie with two fruits, add bananas and combine them with strawberries; take one banana and one-fourth cup of strawberries and blend the smoothie with low-fat milk.
- Adding two fruits is a good idea to reduce the calories and sugars in bananas; therefore, add berries to the banana, make it low-calorie, and keep it healthy.
Nutrition
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