A banana smoothie to give you protein early in the morning. Do you know if your current diet is giving you your recommended 25-30 grams of protein before noon? More importantly, do you know when and how you’re taking your protein?
Quick & Easy Banana Smoothie, your morning protein
What time you eat your protein during the day can affect how your body uses it, so instead of leaving your entire protein intake for the evening, many nutrition experts recommend having a protein-rich breakfast so that you can be focused and energized in the morning.
This really is no surprise, since we all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! With 8 grams of protein per 8-ounce serving, milk is a good addition to your meal, and sure to make your breakfast hearty and nutritious. Today I’m sharing with you this delicious Banana smoothie or milkshake recipe that is an excellent way to incorporate milk into your breakfast!
A Banana Smoothie vendor (and many other flavors) in my hometown.
A Traditional Smoothie Bar, this is a very famous place in my hometown, it has been in business for decades. Refresquería "La Bajadita" Photo Courtesy of Grupo Tampico Antiguo
Fruits shake (“licuados,” as we call them) are a very popular drink in Mexico, especially for breakfast. They’re fast, easy to prepare, and very versatile since you can use almost any type of fruit in them.
In large cities (and even in those not too big), there are certain snack bars known as “refresquerías” that sell fruit shakes from early in the morning until late afternoon. People will stop by to get one of these drinks for their breakfast, or even for their lunch. And the banana smoothie is one of the most popular ones.
You can get many fruit combinations in a single glass, although the most traditional fruit smoothies are those with a single fruit, such as banana, strawberries, mango, cantaloupe or papaya. There are also many complex combinations using one or more fruits that can be mixed with granola, honey, nuts, and even raw eggs and wheat.
There is also the cactus smoothie with orange or pineapple juice, and the recently trending green smoothies. This particular recipe is for the classic and ever-popular “Liquado de Platano”- Banana Milkshake. Also known as "Platanada" in the State of Oaxaca.
How to make Banana Smoothie Recipe
Notes:
- This is a lighter version of the original Banan Smoothie served in my hometown; you can add more banana if you’d like to give it a thicker consistency.
- In my hometown, we sweeten the smoothies with grenadine syrup instead of sugar, it gives a different flavor and color to the drink. The grenadine syrup sold here in the states is quite different in taste.
DIRECTIONS:
- Place milk, the peeled banana, ice cubes, sugar and vanilla in your blender glass.
- Process until you have a very smooth consistency.
- Pour into glasses and dust with cinnamon. And enjoy your banana smoothie! It is so easy!
Banana smoothie
Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cup of milk
- 1 medium-size banana
- 1 cup of ice cubes
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1- teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Place milk, the peeled banana, ice cubes, sugar and vanilla in your blender glass.
- Process until you have a very smooth consistency.
- Pour in glasses and dust with cinnamon. And enjoy! It is so easy!
Notes
- This is a lighter version of the original served in my hometown; you can add more banana if you’d like to give it a thicker consistency.
- In my hometown, we sweeten the smoothies with grenadine syrup instead of sugar, it gives a different flavor and color to the drink. The grenadine syrup sold here in the states is quite different in taste.
Nutrition
Banana Smoothie Recipe
Start your new year by getting 25-30 grams of protein in the morning. This smoothie offers 8 grams of protein, and if you pair it with two eggs any style, and a side of (2) sausage links or (2) slices bacon for your breakfast, then you have reached your morning goal.
What is your favorite morning protein?
Footnotes:
What We Eat in America, NHANES 2009-2010.
Layman D. Dietary guidelines should reflect new understandings about adult protein needs. Nutr Metab. 2009; 6: 12.
More recipes:
Prickly Pear Drink / Agua de Tuna
Aguas Frescas: Pineapple, Watermelon and Cantaloupe Drinks
Receta en Español Licuado de Plátano.
Gloria Marquez
Can wait to try smoothies. Awesome giveaway
Gloria Marquez
My morning protein is a bowl of oatmeal
Maria Soto
I love chia seeds with almond milk, mixed with baked apples, a dash of maple syrup and lots of pecans. However I grew up with the liquados, my mom would make us a strawberry and banana with milk and raw eggs (yolk only) in the morning before heading out to school, she would tells us if we didn't want to eat breakfast we had to drink it, so we would drink it on our way out the door. I still make these at home sometimes for my kids, I was just thinking last night about making a banana shake since I have two nice ripe bananas, guess I know what I'm having tomorrow for breakfast, oh and since the bananas are ripe, no need to add sugar or vanilla since I will be using almond milk.
Guadalupe Armstrong
Favorite morning protein is oatmeal with peanut butter.
Lupe A
Morning protein: oatmeal with 1/2 a banana and a spoon of peanut butter.
Sandy H
You didn't say healthiest breakfast, so my answer is bacon
Adrienne Martinez
This is such a good recipe! My favorite is enjoying a bowl of malt o meal!
Adrienne Martinez
This is such a great recipe and my favorite is enjoying a bowl of malt o meal in the mornings!
Susan Janson
Yoghurt with fresh fruit and a homemade granola spiced with cardamon.
Tifferella
My favorite protein shake includes 2 tbsp of natural peanut butter, 3/4 cup of almond milk, ripe banana, 1/4 cup of gluten free rolled oats and hemp seeds.
Jenny Aguilar
I drink a premier protein chocolate shake every morning. Yummy!
Cindy Wong
Hard boiled eggs with sriracha.
Janet Soto-Castro
Eggs and any kind of meat I have like sausage, Bacon or Ham.
Relish
Smoothie are great breakfast ideas...especially for those who aren't big breakfast eaters. My favorite breakfast protein is either eggs or delicious "doctor'ed up" greek yogurt!
Marco Antonio Cardoza Silva
My favorite morning protein is a pair of fried eggs with some refried beans with their respective portion of avocado and a delicious spicy sauce.
Jesse LaPaire
My favourite morning protein is 3 whole eggs! When I can't get the time for them; I generally have a smoothie blended with Kaizen Natural protein.
Lauren
I like to have yogurt in the morning for protein.
Linda
My favorite morning protein is the protein I get in Greek yogurt.
Gina M WildOrchid
I love making an omelette loaded with a variety of veggies, meats, and cheese, and pairing it with a large glass of ice cold milk. The protein really keeps me satisfieied through lunch!
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
Jennai
I get my protein from omelets and milk on my cereal. Love the idea of a quick banana smoothie.
Flor de Maria Holmes
Avocado--though I get oatmeal with milk and cranberries most mornings
Sean
Bacon, always, but I'm looking forward trying this smoothie
Cindy Orley
I make sure that I make instant hot cereal with milk, not water. It adds flavor and protein. We drink milk every breakfast and dinner as well.
BTW, does grenadine syrup have less carbs than sugar?
Rena Bello
always have a shake with protein powder, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, banana, a dash of cinnamon and a dash of pumpkin pie spice.
Unknown
I love licados.I add a bit of apple and peanut butter to mine. Great combinacion.
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April
Me too
Rachel Thomas
My favorite morning protein is about time protein pancake mix!!!! Or some zoats (zucchini oats!)
Resa
This is like, the perfect smoothie. For added protein, though, I like adding hempseed or peanut butter. Then again, I'm all about beef for breakfast, so....
Erica
Eggs.
Kayley
I like eggs - scrambled, omelette or hard-boiled.
Carol
Hi Mely! I’m Carol from SoCal! I follow you on Instagram and have made several of your recipes and have you pics of them... I made this today for my daughter and she loved it! Algo tan fácil pero no se me ocurre en hacerlo al igual con otras de sus recetas como la del camote endulsado! Muchísimas gracias por publicar tanta delicia, dios se lo pague y que esté bien.
mmartinez
Hello Carol, Gracias for seguirnos en Instagram. Saludos!
melissa
How do I subscribe to your website? I would love to learn more about cooking Mexican style. Mi esposo es de Michoacan. 🙂
Mely Martínez
Hello Melissa,
Check to the right-hand side column, there is a picture for a book. It says Join our free newsletter. Write down your email, and click sign up for free. Let me know if you were able to do it.