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Inspired by a sweet little coffee shop on the Puerto Rican coast, this wholesome banana almond milk smoothie with flax, vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon tastes like a milkshake yet is immensely more healthy and satisfying. Frozen bananas are the key!
In a very different era, my husband and I took a vacation to Rincon, Puerto Rico. Although it feels like the trip happened in a different millenniumโweโve had two kids and completed two international moves since thenโwe remember Rinconโs beauty very well. The town is a big surfing destination, and though we donโt surf, we soaked up the gorgeous sunsets, good food, lounging, and watching and listening to waves crash at night. All the usual beach vacation goals!
One specific stand-out was a tiny little coffee shop in town, Banana Dang. We went running almost every morning, it was hot and humid, and if you go inland just a tiny bit Rincon is actually quite hilly, so we were super sweaty and spent by the end of each workout. I think it was the second day of our trip that we happened to pop into Banana Dang for a post-run smoothie, and we literally went back every single day after that. If memory serves, we even went twice on the last day, before driving back to San Juan.
Every smoothie at Banana Dang was amazingโand we did try them allโbut my hands-down favorite was the simplest on the menu: a banana concoction with flax seeds and just a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. I craved it the whole vacation and found myself routinely wishing for one after we returned home.
This was back before I spent so much time in the kitchen, so it took me a minute to realize I could try to recreate it. Ha!
Now Iโve been making this same smoothie for years. Every single batch still brings me joy!
Why Youโll Love This Banana Almond Milk Smoothie
- Everyday, real food ingredients
- As satisfyingly creamy and rich as a delicious milkshake
- No ice required
- A fantastic use for one or two overripe bananas
- Easy to adjust to your tasteโadd extra fruit, more cinnamon, chia, etc.
- Naturally sweet from the bananasโNO added sugar or sweetener
What Others Say:
โJust tried it โ itโs AMAZING! Thank you ๐โ -Nadia
โI am pleasantly surprised by how good this smoothie is. Such simple readily available ingredients too. Thank you!โ -Jess
Ingredient Notes
How To Freeze Bananas for Smoothies
- Peel and slice your ripe bananas before freezing; in my experience, this is the best route to creamy banana-based smoothies. I like to slice two at a time, if possible, toss them into a medium-sized silicone bag, and freeze for 2-3 months. The frozen slices can go straight into any powerful blender, where theyโll make a thick, satisfying smoothie with no need for ice or yogurt to thicken, etc.
- Alternatively, toss whole, unpeeled bananas into the freezer for 2-3 months. The only downside to this method for smoothies is that youโll need to defrost the banana slightlyโ10-20 seconds in the microwave does the trick for meโin order to peel it. This in turn means itโs not quite as cold and creamy of a smoothie base.
More Recipes That Use Extra Bananas
Have even more overripe fruit? Put it to good use with some of these favorites: my ever-popular five banana banana breadย and all of these muffins: blueberry banana,ย banana bran,ย banana chocolate chip, andย banana zucchini with walnuts.
A final side note: in the many years since our vacation, Banana Dang has closed in Rincon and relocated to southern California. I hope to find myself nearby one day!
In the meantime, though, Iโm awfully grateful to make my own perfectย smoothie at home. And now you can, too! Enjoy!
More Smoothie Recipes
- Blueberry Oat Almond Milk Smoothie
- Strawberry Pomegranate Smoothie
- Simple Banana Protein Shake
- Blood Orange Banana Smoothie
- Chocolate Almond Milk Smoothie
Wholesome Banana Almond Milk Smoothie
Ingredientsย
- 2 bananas, sliced and frozen
- 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened vanilla or natural
- 1 Tablespoon whole flaxseeds, see note
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructionsย
- Combine all ingredients in blender and pulse on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until mixture is completely smooth and thick. Serve immediately.2 bananas, 1 cup almond milk, 1 Tablespoon whole flaxseeds, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Notes
- Milk: Substitute any other type of milk that you like, dairy or non-dairy. Just be aware that this smoothie is already naturally sweet from the bananas, so using a sweetened milk product may not be necessary.
- Flaxseed: For a lot of people, ground flaxseed meal is easier to digest than whole flaxseeds; if this applies to you, by all means include the meal instead, or omit it entirely. I do still prefer the slight texture and mildly nutty flavor that whole flaxseeds offer.
- Variations: Other easy twists on this smoothie include adding in chia seeds as well or instead of the flax, adding a pinch of nutmeg or ginger, or tossing in a few berries, as well.
- Add Protein: I have had good results mixing one or two scoops of vanilla protein powder directly into this smoothie, or just making this banana protein shake instead. You also can mix in 2-3 Tablespoons of peanut butter, other nut butters, or powdered PB2; voila: peanut butter banana smoothie.
- Yield: For us this yields one large or two small-ish smoothies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why do you have to freeze the bananas? What’s the difference if you don’t freeze them? Regards
Hi Nathan – if the bananas aren’t frozen, you’d probably want to add 1-2 cups of ice to ensure its cold and has a nice, smoothie-like consistency. Of course that would in turn make the smoothie a little more watery, but it would probably still be quite good!
Just tried it – it’s AMAZING! Thank you ๐
This is really a great breakfast drink option for vegan people. But almond milk is much more expensive than other milk. Even soy milk less expensive than almond milk in India. So I prefer soy milk over almond milk to make vegan banana smoothie.
Soy milk is also a great option for this, in fact that’s how I made it myself for a long time, and still do from time to time!
I added half a cup of oatmeal to ensure itโs a perfect boobie smoothie! ๐ Great tasting and great for breastfeeding! Thanks guys!
Haha, I love it! Brilliant addition. Congrats on your new addition! ๐
I have an almond milk recipe which only includes almonds and water if you are interested
This smoothie is perfect for the absurd amount of frozen bananas I have in my freezer right now! Definitely going to be making this!
I’ve been on a smoothie kick lately but I’ve mostly been eating the same thing over and over. Can’t wait to add a little variety to my routine with this banana almond milk twist. I bet it’s delish!
I love including bananas and almond milk in my smoothies, but I’ve never used flax seeds. Thanks for the suggestion!
I add vanilla protein. Perfection
I love recipes that feel like a “cheat” to call them one because they’re so easy – this looks great!
Recently, I started to make a lot of smoothies to substitute my ice cream cravings. Yours look so delicious, I will definitely make it this week)
Bananas are by far my favorite fruit to add to smoothies. They make everything so creamy!