This Banana Avocado Smoothie is full of heart-healthy fats and is high in protein made with all plant-based ingredients making it a great breakfast or snack idea. The avocado and almond milk give it a creamy texture, the banana adds sweetness and the almond butter gives it a delicious nutty flavor that my kids love! I've also added spinach for extra iron.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Albertsons. All opinions are 100% mine.
This easy smoothie recipe is nutritious and something I feel good about giving to my boys. It's a bit healthier than my Banana Oat smoothie and easier to make than the Corner Bakery Swiss Oats.
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Why This Recipe Works
It has taken some time for my kids to learn to like smoothies.
While I've been making healthy smoothies for myself, my kids always thought they tasted, well, too healthy.
They preferred making them like my husband, with ice cream. Facepalm.
But, over time, I've started honing in on the flavors they like and also how to make them with better nutrients and healthier ingredients.
This Banana Avocado Smoothie recipe is one that they really enjoy! And I'm so happy about it.
Choosing Your Ingredients
Your kids will love this creamy and delicious Banana Avocado Smoothie recipe with Spinach! It's a great after-school snack idea!
As my family is made up of meat-eaters as well as those who prefer a mostly plant-based diet, I like to shop where I know I can get everything I need.
And I'm always looking for ways to add more plant-based foods to our day.
I head to my nearest Albertsons store to shop from their O Organics® and Open Nature® products.
O Organics and Open nature have extensive product lines, exclusive to Albertsons Companies family of stores, that include "better for you" items like milk alternatives, nut butters, plant-based meal solutions and more.
And all are at an affordable price.
They also have delicious plant-based dessert options like those I used to create decadent Ice Cream Nachos... You'll definitely want to check that post out.
Plus Albertsons carries everything else I need to make this smoothie which means I don't have to run all over town to track things down.
They also offer Grocery Delivery and Drive Up & Go™ which makes things super convenient.
I shopped at Albertsons in my local area, but you can also find O Organics and Open Nature plant-based products at the Albertsons Companies family of stores including Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw's Supermarket, Star Market and Tom Thumb.
Ingredients
- frozen banana
- avocado
- almond milk
- almond butter
- chocolate protein powder
- spinach
- ice
It took me a while to get my kids to realize that adding spinach wasn't going to ruin the flavor of their avocado banana smoothie.
But I will warn you. The color it gives is not great. I still consider it an essential smoothie ingredient.
By using frozen banana slices, it helps to create a really cold, refreshing smoothie. But if you don't have any pre-frozen, just use regular banana.
Adding ice further makes this super chilled and gives it a great consistency.
Do not skip the spinach! It's a great way to add nutrients and it doesn't change the flavor it at all!
My kids are really big fans of chocolate protein powder and it really does give a rich chocolate flavor to our recipes.
I love that the smoothie uses plant-based protein to fill their stomachs and make them feel satisfied.
It also makes the smoothie feel a little more decadent which they love.
Directions
Making a smoothie is really simple.
I prefer to use a high-powered blender to ensure that the ice and spinach get blended really well.
But a regular blender would work as well.
To create this delicious after-school smoothie, just add the avocado, banana, almond butter, almond milk and protein powder to the jar of a blender.
Add a handful of fresh or frozen spinach.
Blend well.
I always remove the lid, at this point, to check the consistency. If it needs it, and this is to your personal preference, add more almond milk.
I like to add ice to my smoothie now and then blend again. I prefer a nice frosty smoothie. But you can leave out the ice if you prefer.
As you can see, the color of this finished avocado and banana smoothie is not great. Because of that, I like to add a few toppings.
I always like to add a little cinnamon when feeding a healthy smoothie to my kids. As you bring the glass to your nose, you get that vibrant cinnamon scent which will mask any "healthy" smells the smoothie might be putting off.
I also like to add some hemp seeds (which also have great health properties) and some cocoa nibs which add a little crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is pretty healthy for you. The almond butter and protein powder provide lots of great protein. The avocado and spinach have anti-inflammatory properties, folate and other essential vitamins and minerals. Because of all the healthy fats, this is not a low-calorie smoothie. But they are good fats. And for kids, fat isn't something I worry too much about. The good fats also help to make this smoothie filling and make them feel satisfied and not asking for another snack a few minutes later.
I know that some people may not have ever used avocado in a smoothie. But it's such a great ingredient! When added to a smoothie, avocado adds great heart-healthy fat. Plus, it has a creamy texture when blended. You don't get any of the avocado flavor. It literally blends right in without anyone noticing... It's a great ingredient especially in recipes using plant-based milk alternatives.
Top tips
- Have fresh spinach that is starting to lose its luster? Put it in a freezer-safe zipper bag and freeze to use in your smoothies!
- Same with bananas. As they are starting to get a little too ripe, slice them up and freeze them in portions that are easy to grab for your recipe.
- If you need this smoothie to be a little bit sweeter for your kids to drink it, use a natural sweetener like honey or agave syrup. Or add the other half of the banana.
- And if your kids are resistant to the ingredients, ease into it.
- Add just a tiny bit of spinach to show them it doesn't change the taste and over the next few smoothies, you can increase the amount of spinach.
- O Organics offers high-quality, non-GMO and 100% USDA-certified organic plant-based products.
- Open Nature offers high-quality, minimally-processed plant-based products free from 110 food additives. And great better-for-you home products also.
A few more easy recipes you might enjoy!
- Easy Blackberry Smoothie with Milk and Yogurt
- Fresh Strawberry Banana Passion Fruit Smoothie
- Red Wine Smoothie with Yogurt
- Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip
- Spicy Avocado Hummus (without tahini!)
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Banana Avocado Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¼ of avocado
- ½ frozen banana slices
- handful of spinach
- 1 cup + more almond milk
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
- ice
Instructions
- To the jar of a blender, add avocado, banana, spinach, protein powder, almond butter and almond milk.
- Blend well so the spinach is fully emulsified.
- Remove the lid and check the consistency.
- Add more almond milk to get the smoothie how you like it.
- Add ice and blend again.
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