Did you know that smoothies are a multi-BILLION dollar industry? $25B+ to be exact, according to Fortune Business Insights.
I admit, I used to contribute to that number.
At the time, I thought I was buying something healthy and delicious, until I learned that a lot of store-bought smoothies are basically glorified milkshakes.
Luckily, making smoothies at home is easy. All you need is some fruit, ice, and a blender.
But if you want an actually good smoothie, and not those weird AI recipes, you have to really think about what you're putting into it.
The Straw-Nana Smoothie, Deconstructed
Start with the Base-ics
Every good strawberry banana smoothie recipe starts the same:
- Frozen strawberries
- Frozen bananas
- Ice
Tip: Frozen fruit is better for smoothies than fresh because when you blend them, they give your smoothie an icy, slushy texture without watering it down.
Pick a Liquid Base
Next, pick your liquid base based on the taste and texture you want:
- If you want a bright and tangy strawberry banana smoothie like Razzmatazz at Jamba Juice, you're going to want to add orange juice.
Tip: I like to substitute OJ for another fruit juice like pineapple or mango. It really just depends on what I'm in the mood for, or what I have on hand.
- If you want a creamy, more milkshake-like smoothie like the Angel Food smoothie from Smoothie King, add Greek yogurt.
Why You Should Use Plain, Unsweetened Greek Yogurt
Just ½ cup contains:
- 17-25g protein
- ~1 billion to 10+ billion CFUs (live cultures)
- 15-25% of daily recommended calcium intake
- About half your daily vitamin B12
- 0 added sugar
- 0 artificial flavoring
- 0 artificial dyes
Without the added sugars, flavorings, and dyes, unsweetened yogurt is better for you than regular Greek yogurt. And if you add a little bit of apple juice or another sweetener, you won't be able to taste the difference.
- If you want a sweet and simple strawberry banana smoothie without a creamy texture, use apple juice as your liquid.
Tip: To make a strawberry banana smoothie taste straight from the juice bar, add your liquid base FIRST. Adding your liquids before you add your fruit, ice, and other ingredients keeps the blender blades from getting stuck, so you get a smooth, even texture.
Add Your Sweetener
Unless your produce is super ripe, simply blending up fruit and ice won't guarantee your smoothie turns out sweet.
In my experience, a splash of apple juice is enough to sweeten it. But if you want something else, these natural sweeteners work, too:
- raw honey
- pure maple syrup
- blackstrap molasses
- pure stevia extract
- monk fruit extract
- medjool dates
Healthy Add-ons
I'm not a Mom, but I love hiding vegetables in food, especially smoothies. They're actually one of the best hiding places for veggies, imo.
The key is to add vegetables that are mild in flavor, like:
- baby spinach
- frozen kale
- carrots
- puréed pumpkin
- zucchini
Too much veggie flavor, and you risk turning your smoothie into gazpacho.
DISCLAIMER
Spinach and kale will likely turn your smoothie green. And not an appetizing shade either.
Fortunately, if you pick mild-flavored veggies, the flavor doesn't really change.
Your smoothie will still taste fruity and delicious. But now it's fruity, delicious, AND vitamin-fortified! Nice.
Also, avoid veggies that have a high water content like cucumbers or celery. They'll just water down your strawberry banana smoothie, and make the texture runny and inconsistent instead of thick and creamy.
Why Learn How To Make a Strawberry Banana Smoothie at Home?
Sure, going out and buying one is faster, but do you really want to get up, get dressed, get in the car, drive, and wait in line just for a smoothie?
Here's why I advocate for making it yourself:
You get more! Did the math. You can make at least 4 strawberry banana smoothies for the price of 1.- They're healthier! You know exactly what you put in your smoothie. No hidden ingredients like sherbet or frozen yogurt.
- You can order the ingredients online. No need to leave home.
Easy Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe (with Greek Yogurt and Apple Juice)
Prep time: 5 minutes | Servings: 1-2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
- ½ cup to ¾ cup apple juice
- ½ cup ice cubes
Instructions
- Add the apple juice and Greek yogurt to the bottom of your blender. This helps everything blend smoothly and keeps the blades from getting stuck.
- Then, add the remaining ingredients to your blender.
- Blend on low speed for 10 seconds to break up the frozen chunks, then switch to high and blend for 45 to 60 seconds until completely smooth.
- Adjust and serve.