Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie (5 Min, Vegetarian)
- Updated on Jan 21, 2016
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I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. We’re entering a competition! Yep, a smoothie competition at the end of the month. Because that’s how we roll. And sometimes blend.
Anyhoo, that means we’ve been practicing. A lot. Some fruity combinations worked, some…not so well.
But this blueberry banana protein smoothie is one of our winners, and we thought it would be rude not to share it.
Especially as Howie made so many nice pictures. And it tastes like cheesecake.
Health Benefits of Blueberries
Smoothies are a great way to get some healthy eating into your diets (and to lose weight – check out our weight loss smoothies now!). Let’s take these blueberries as an example: Eat them three times per week and you’re very likely to improve your heart health significantly.
Blueberries are also rich in potassium and vitamin C, providing around 25% of your recommended intake of vitamin C in just one cup. They also contain high levels of fibre which can help you to feel fuller for longer and help with weight loss.
Probably the biggest health benefit you’ll hear about blueberries though is their high antioxidant levels. Antioxidants protect your body from free radicals, and blueberries have been shown to have some of the highest antioxidant levels in fruits and vegetables.
High Protein, Even Without the Powder
This blueberry banana smoothie is also an absolute protein beast.
If you’re after a high protein breakfast smoothie, a good workout recovery drink, or just looking to get more protein in your diet in general, then this is the recipe for you.
One serving (without added powder) already boasts well over 20g of the stuff – and with added powder (depending on the variety) will take you closer to the 45g mark.
Those are the kind of numbers that would make Arnie blush.
How To Make A High Protein Smoothie
There are several things almost every smoothie will have in common. That’s because of these steps:
1- Fruit.
Choose some fruits. These can be anything you want, fresh or frozen, doesn’t matter.
Your favourites, or a classic combo like mango and pineapple are a great place to start. We’ve gone for blueberry and banana in this example. 2 cups is about right. Put them in the blender.
2- Liquid.
We prefer water or a variety of milk, there are so many to choose from. Soy milk, cow’s milk, rice milk and almond or another nut milk are all great in a smoothie.
Coconut milk/water goes really nicely with pineapple, amongst others. Experiment, it’s hard to go wrong! 1 cup should do it. Put it in the blender.
3 – The Body.
After fruit, this will make up the main part of your smoothie. Yogurt (dairy or otherwise) is a very popular choice here, although we tend to use cottage cheese (like in this recipe) for that low fat, extra protein hit (we really love cottage cheese – try these cottage cheese recipes for more!).
Silken tofu is also really nice and creamy, though we’re unsure how healthy it is. Whatever you choose, ½ – 1 cup is about right. Make your choice and put it in the blender.
4 – The Topping.
Now’s the time for adding that special something. Chia seeds are an all-round powerhouse, with so much to recommend them.
We add two tablespoons to pretty much every smoothie we make – they don’t really taste of anything so they don’t change the smoothie flavour, but the health benefits are hard to ignore.
We also add protein powder if it’s a post-workout smoothie, and this is an easy way to add a new flavour to the smoothie, chocolate or vanilla for example (try one of our vegetarian protein powder recipes if you like this!).
Always taste test, and adjust as you like.
If your fruits were a little too tangy or sharp then you might need something to take the edge off – maple syrup, honey, cinnamon or even more banana all do the job.
See here to find out how to use bananas as a natural sweetener. In this example we add a little lemon zest for the kick. Put it in the blender.
5 – The Art of Blending.
If you don’t have a blender, this might be the time to order one. They don’t need to be expensive, though they can be (this one is cheap and does it’s job).
Once it’s arrived, follow the instructions above. Then push the button and let the machine do everything for you. It can mix quicker than you can.
Just don’t forget to put the lid on. You don’t want that.
So, to recap:
2 cups fruit.
1 cup liquid.
½-1 cup body.
Add the topping – some seeds, protein powder, flavourings or a sweetener are good choices.
Lid on.
Blend.
Enjoy!
Protein Smoothie Recipe FAQ’s
We’ve covered the most common questions about this tasty blueberry banana smoothie, but if you have others just let us know in the comments.
How long can a protein smoothie last in the fridge?
Ideally you want to drink smoothies fresh, but this should be fine in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, you can prep the ingredients the night before so you can just blend and go the next day.
Can I swap the blueberries for other fruits?
If you don’t have blueberries on hand, not to worry, as this recipe should work well with other types of fresh or frozen berries.
When is the best time to drink this smoothie?
We think this recipe is perfect for a quick and easy breakfast or as a post workout drink, but you really can enjoy it anytime.
Do you have any other protein smoothie recipes?
Yes, in fact we now have a round up of 18 Natural High Protein Smoothies which includes our own recipes as well as favourites from other blogs.
Ingredients
- 1 cup blueberries, frozen (fresh is fine too)
- 1 ripe banana (make sure they’re soft and sweet! Keep some in the freezer like we do here)
- 1 cup milk of choice (we use soy milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz low fat cottage cheese (use regular if you prefer*)
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Optional
- 1 serving vanilla protein powder (for that extra protein hit!)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender, and grate in the lemon zest.1 cup blueberries, frozen, 1 ripe banana, 1 cup milk of choice, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 4 oz low fat cottage cheese, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tsp lemon zest
- Blend. Done!
NOTES
Nutrition
Our nutritional information uses 1 cup water as the liquid and 1 cup cottage cheese as the body.
Comments
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25 comments
The color is so pretty! I don’t do smoothies hardly ever but if/when I do, I always want strawberries and blueberries, they are so good and sweet! Love that you added lemon too, it always helps to cut the sweetness!
Yes, sth I like a lot about this smoothie is, that it’s not too sour and not too sweet!
Blueberry smoothies are a classic! Blueberries are my favorite fruit for smoothies!
Yess, mine too!
Perfect for breakfast or post workout! Looks so pretty too! Yum
Such a beautiful smoothie, I love the ingredients combination, although that cottage cheese got me with a little question mark in my head… Anyway, good luck with it on competition!
Hahahah, give it a try Jasmin, I’m 100% sure you won’t be disappointed. It’s pretty much like yogurt, but not sour 🙂
Blueberry, banana and 5 minutes?! Sold! Get in my blender then my belly!
This sounds wonderful! Perfect way to sneak in some much needed protein 😉
Hahaaa, very true!
i always end up throwing cottage cheese..this is such a great use of it 🙂
Haaa, glad we could help out with this idea 😉
The color alone has me smitten!
I drink a smoothie nearly every day and am always looking for new ideas. I’ll need to sub the cottage cheese as I’m vegan but I think some silken tofu will do a similar job :O)
Yes, that really could work, Mel! Give this one a try, one of my favourites for sure!!
Wow, what a gorgeous color! I love using blueberries in smoothies! 🙂
Looks great, doesn’t it?? Tastes great too, happily 🙂
Smoothies are my families go to breakfast. I love that they are so portable too!
Blueberries are some of my favorite fruits. I love them in smoothies.
G reat smoothie! Here’s one I invented that I just love. Feel free to use it!
1 scoop Quest chocolate protein powder,
1/2 cup blueberries,
a handful of salad greens,
1 cup almond milk,
1 tsp. instant coffee,
1 tsp. cocoa powder,
dash vanilla, dash cinnamon, 4 ice cubes. Blend. Less than 200 calories.
Ooh, sounds good! A caffeine boost is always nice :D. Thanks for sharing!
Honestly tasted pretty weird, like slightly toasted fruit loops. Definitely not a favorite.
Sorry to hear that Ella. It’s a staple on my end 😀
Normally I don’t like banana in my smoothies but this was really good! I substituted plain Greek yogurt for the cottage cheese and added a smidge of honey. Great smoothie!
Cottage cheese sounds like a good substitute! Thank you Diana! Now I want to try it! 🙂