Today’s chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie recipe is a simple guide on how to make an indulgent, sweet yet healthy drink.
Main Ingredients
Here’s a list of what we used in our chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie recipe:
- Bananas: You can use any variety of bananas for this recipe. That being said, be sure to use ripe bananas as you will need their sharp sweetness to avoid having to use too much added sweetener.
- Chocolate: We use 60% cacao dark chocolate as its bitterness pairs perfectly with the sweet bananas. If you’re planning on using semi-sweet chocolate, it may be best to leave out the sweetener.
- Sweetener: We add a bit of honey to help mellow out the bitterness and tartness of the dark chocolate.
- Peanut butter: Smooth peanut butter is the best option for this recipe as it gives the smoothie a more drinkable texture. That being said, if you prefer to scoop and eat your smoothie with a spoon, feel free to use a chunky variety as it gives the drink a thicker and more interesting texture.
- Cocoa powder: It helps intensify the chocolate flavor.
- Whole milk: A touch of whole milk can make your smoothie taste more like a milkshake than a healthy beverage.
- Vanilla: Adding vanilla is a great way to give your healthy smoothie a dessert-like flavor.
- Nuts: We use toasted chopped almonds to garnish but you can use almond flakes instead.
- Ice.
Is Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Healthy?
Yes, our chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie recipe is healthy. Here are a few reasons why:
Since bananas are naturally sweet, we can limit the use of added sweeteners in this recipe. That being said, we still need to use 1 tablespoon of honey for 4 servings of smoothie to give the drink a balanced flavor profile.
The main ingredients for this recipe are bananas, dark chocolate, and peanut butter.
While bananas are low in fat and calories, chocolate and peanut butter may not be quite so healthy. Fortunately, however, they both sport strong flavors and so we didn’t have to use too much of either in our recipe.
Besides being low-calorie and low-fat, bananas have a plethora of critical nutrients and may aid in weight loss, digestion, and cardiovascular health.
Bananas are also a good source of soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in liquid to produce a gel during digestion and is responsible for bananas’ sponge-like texture.
Additionally, unripe bananas contain resistant starch, which your body does not digest.
Together, these two forms of fiber may help to maintain a healthy blood sugar level following meals. They may also aid with hunger regulation by delaying the digestion process.
This indicates that, despite their larger carbohydrate content, bananas will not induce significant rises in blood sugar levels in otherwise healthy persons.
In addition, adding fiber to your diet has long been associated with a variety of health advantages, including aiding digestion. A medium-sized banana has around 3 grams of fiber.
For more delicious, nourishing banana smoothie recipes, check out our Berry Banana Smoothie Recipe, Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe, and Kale Banana Smoothie Recipe.
How Long Does It Last?
As our chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie contains whole milk, it will go bad faster than other homemade dairy-free smoothies. The chances are it will only last for one day in the fridge.
Be sure to transfer leftover smoothie from the blender to an airtight container; either a mason jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid will do.
It’s also best to fill the container all the way to the brim to avoid trapped air. As air oxidizes the components in your smoothie, your smoothie will spoil and lose its nutritional value faster.
There is, however, a way to keep your smoothie for longer, and that is to store it in the freezer. This way, you will have a healthy chocolate ice cream to enjoy for the next few weeks.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe
Today’s chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie recipe is a simple guide on how to make an indulgent, sweet yet healthy drink.
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 5 mins
- COURSE Beverage
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 253 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 1 oz dark chocolate (chopped)
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 14 oz banana, cut into chunks (peeled)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
- 2 cups ice
- 1 oz almond slices , divided (toasted)
- 8 mint leaves (for garnish)
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all the ingredients in a blender: 2 cups ice, 14 oz banana, 1 oz dark chocolate, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, honey (maximum 1 tbsp) and 1 oz almond.
Blend at high speed in 20 - 30 seconds until completely smooth.
Pour the smoothie into four glasses.
Garnish them with the mint leaves and enjoy your refreshing beverage.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary ConsultantLuna Regina
Writer, Author- ReevesThis smoothie looks absolutely delicious! I'm always looking for creative and healthy ways to get a creative breakfast ready in the morning - and this definitely fits the bill. I can't wait to give it a try!