Today’s simple yogurt-free banana smoothie recipe will show you how to make an appetizing and healthy drink from scratch.
Is Yogurt-Free Banana Smoothie Healthy?
Yes, our banana smoothie is healthy. Here’s why:
- Bananas Support Digestive Health
Dietary fiber has been associated with a variety of health advantages, including better digestion. And a medium-sized banana happens to have around 3 grams of fiber, which is about 10% of an average person’s recommended daily intake.
- Bananas May Help You Lose Weight
Currently, no study has solely and specifically examined the effect of bananas on weight reduction. However, this famous fruit comes with characteristics that make it a potential weight-loss aid.
To begin with, bananas are low in calories. Although a medium banana contains little more than 100 calories, it is healthy and satisfying.
We’ve already mentioned their fiber content, and consuming more fiber from vegetables and fruits has been connected to decreased body weight and weight reduction more than once.
Additionally, because unripe bananas are high in resistant starch, they tend to be more satisfying and suppress your appetite. If you want to incorporate unripe bananas into your diet, treat them similarly to plantains. That being said, they may not be the best fit for today’s banana smoothie recipe.
Main Ingredients
Today’s banana smoothie without yogurt recipe contains the following ingredients:
- Bananas: Any variety of banana will do, just make sure that you’re using ones that are fully ripe.
- Milk: A touch of dairy can enhance the richness of your smoothie significantly even when you don’t use any Greek yogurt, like today. If you’re lactose intolerant, feel free to use plant-based milks, such as coconut, oat, cashew, or almond milk.
- Honey: We only need to add a tiny bit of honey for the aroma, not the taste, because bananas are already sweet.
- Mint: You can use your favorite type of mint for this recipe (we used spearmint). Not a fan of this minty herb? Simply leave it out.
- And ice.
How Do You Thicken a Smoothie Without Yogurt?
Although yogurt can help your blender pulverize fruits and other ingredients more smoothly, technically, it doesn’t help much in terms of increasing the viscosity of your smoothie.
Whether you’re making a smoothie with or without yogurt, you can still improve its texture by adding frozen fruits. If your smoothie calls for bananas (like today’s recipe) or berries, freeze them the night before and they will make your smoothie a lot thicker once they’re all blended together.
If you want to go all the way, freeze the liquids, too! Whatever type of juice or milk you’re using, just pour it into an ice cube tray and leave it in the freezer overnight. Add these flavored ice cubes to the blender with your regular ice and your smoothie will be extra thick and slushy!
You can also add a small scoop of old-fashioned oats or chia seeds. They’re a great trick to thicken your smoothie instantly and sneak a little more fiber into your drink.
What Fruit Goes Well With Banana in a Smoothie?
- Kiwi banana smoothie: Kiwis can be a great addition to your banana smoothie as they add tartness which balances the sweetness of the bananas.
- Mango banana smoothie: They’re both sweet and low in calories. Depending on the ripeness of your mangoes and bananas, you may not need to add extra sugar at all!
- Orange banana smoothie: Citrus fruits and bananas go surprisingly well together. The slight tanginess and sweetness of oranges both complement and balance the flavor of bananas.
- Berry banana smoothie: These two work together well as the sweet taste of the bananas helps to neutralize the tartness of the berries. Leaving you with a wonderfully balanced smoothie to enjoy.
How to Tell When Bananas Are Ripe
Bananas, believe it or not, may be eaten at any stage of maturity. That being said, you really want ripe bananas for making smoothies. Here are a few features you should look out for when you’re waiting for them to ripe.
- Green bananas
Yes, green bananas are edible. However, they are hard, starchy, and lack the distinctive banana flavor. In addition, peeling one is more challenging than peeling a ripe banana.
Green bananas may not be so appetizing when you eat them raw. However, they are frequently included in soups and stews, or boiled and eaten as is.
If you have green bananas, you’ll want to wait until they’re ripe. One trick to speed up the ripening process is to place the bananas in a paper bag with an apple. It sounds funny, but it actually works.
- Greenish-Yellow Bananas
Bananas at this stage are nearly ripe and simple to handle. When eaten uncooked, there is a little sweetness. At this point, you can also sauté, fry, or mash them for different recipes.
- Yellow Bananas
When bananas are yellow they’re considered fully ripe. They can ripen beyond this but this is their optimum time.
At this stage, bananas are still solid but begin to soften. Their flavor has developed to become more sweet and the unmistakable banana aroma is present.
These bananas are most commonly eaten raw as a snack or part of a smoothie or salad. However they are still firm enough to be cooked and incorporated into different meals.
Place bananas in the refrigerator if you want to prevent them from continuing to ripen. While the skins may continue to change color, the flesh inside will remain firm and tasty.
- Yellow Bananas with Brown Spots
At this point, the banana has reached its peak of ripeness. There should be a greater proportion of yellow than brown.
The fruit gets more succulent and soft as it ripens. While some individuals prefer to consume the fruit raw at this stage, it is the optimal state for smoothies, puddings, and desserts.
When the banana peel is mostly brown, it has become overripe. The fruit gets very soft and sweet. Many individuals prefer not to eat a banana like this uncooked, but some will. Once a banana has reached this stage, it’s best used in baked desserts.
How Long Does This Smoothie Last?
Since this recipe contains milk, your leftover banana smoothie can only last a day in the fridge. We recommend keeping it in an airtight container such as a bottle with a tight fitting lid or a mason jar.
Yogurt-Free Banana Smoothie Recipe
You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this yogurt-free banana smoothie recipe. Check your fridge and see if you have everything you need.
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 10 mins
- COURSE Beverage
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 154 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 16 oz bananas
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
- 8 mint leaves
- 2 cups ice
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all the ingredients: 2 cups ice, 16 oz bananas, 1 cup milk and honey (no more than 1 tbsp) in a blender.
Blend at high power mode in 20 - 30 seconds until smooth.
Pour the smoothie into 4 glasses.
Garnish them with the mint leaves and enjoy your refreshing beverage.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
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