This banana smoothie hits the next level of flavor with the addition of dates. It’s smooth, creamy, and cold – the perfect recipe to make for an easy breakfast drink or afternoon snack.
Everyone loves smoothies, especially when they’re more than just a glass of frozen, sugary ingredients. They make the perfect grab ‘n go breakfast on a busy day, and they cool you down on a hot day
And that’s exactly what this naturally sweet breakfast drink is. Plus, this healthy banana smoothie so easy to make, a child could do it!
Just add a few simple ingredients to a blender, swirl it up, and enjoy!
Ingredients for this banana smoothie recipe
Several tasty ingredients come together to make this quick breakfast drink.
- Almond Milk — Be sure to look for unsweetened. As a result, you can control the sweetness in your drink. This is because many commercial brands of sweetened almond milk have the addition of cane sugar.
- Frozen Banana — By using frozen bananas, you can have a thicker consistency to your banana smoothie. Freeze bananas ahead of time by peeling them and popping them into the freezer in sealable bags or bowls.
- Walnuts — The addition of ground walnuts makes the smoothie creamier, while adding healthy fats and protein, too!
- Flax Seed Meal — Flax seeds will add a little bit of protein and fiber to the drink. Plus, they thicken when mixed with liquids. As a result, it holds the smoothie together instead of letting it get really watery.
- Dates — This is an amazing natural sweetener. Using these instead of sugar will give your banana date smoothie a delicious, natural sweetness.
- Ice — The ice is here for two reasons: to make the smoothie thicker, and to help keep you hydrated. The more ice you add, the thicker the drink will become.
Substitutions
There are plenty of alternatives to the ingredients I use in this banana smoothie recipe. For example, you can swap out walnuts and use peanuts or cashews instead. If all you have on hand is dairy milk, go ahead and use it!
For a bit of chocolate flavor, add a few mini chocolate chips. Or, just make this chocolate banana smoothie!
If you aren’t a fan of bananas, this might not be the perfect smoothie for you. But, you can definitely make a different smoothie recipe instead!
A few of my favorites include:
To make the date and banana smoothie recipe, just place all of the ingredients into a high speed blender and process until smooth.
It’s helpful if you place the ice in first. This way, the blades are likely to crush the ice before it combines the rest of the ingredients.
How to make a smoothie thicker or thinner
To change the consistency of your smoothie, add more ice to thicken it and blend again.
Or, to thin it, stir or blend in more almond milk until your desired thickness is reached.
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Banana Smoothie (with Dates)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 2-4 dates, depending on desired sweetness
- 2 tablespoons flax seed meal
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
I love the looks of this shake! Perfect for post run : )
Just tried this today and it was really tasty. I added some honey for sweetness but I think this depends on how ripe your banana is. Also I didn’t have walnuts on hand, but pecans worked great!
Found this last week via the ’41 Paleo breakfasts that aren’t eggs’. I’ve already made it several times! Husband and toddler approved! I’ve added half an avocado and cinnamon the last couple of times. Deeeee-wishus (as my 2 year old says). I realize this is an older post but thought you might like to know who keeps hitting up this page 😀
Thanks Anna! I’m glad you like it!
We tried it this morning. My daughter said she wished i could make a gallon to keep in refrigerator. It was different from traditional breakfast, and it was good!
I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂