Banana Kale Smoothie – plant-based on a budget

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This super easy 3-ingredient banana kale smoothie is the perfect beginner green smoothie for packing in hidden nutrients while being easy enough to customize to your heart’s content! Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, no added sugar and ready in just 5 minutes!

ready-made banana and kale smoothie in two glasses

Smoothies are a great way to pack nutrients into a sweet, creamy, almost dessert-like format. But you don’t have to rely on super-long lists of ingredients and expensive superfoods. Sometimes it’s as easy as just sneaking in some nutrient-dense greens, like in this easy banana and kale smoothie recipe.

With a base of just three ingredients, this easy kale smoothie recipe uses frozen bananas for a super easy smoothie that tastes like a banana ice cream milkshake (and more importantly, NOT kale). However, it’s also super easy to make, ready in minutes, and very budget-friendly for a “healthy habit” that doesn’t feel like work.

The natural sweetness of bananas not only masks the cabbage flavor, but means no added sugar is needed for a super satisfyingly thick, sweet, and creamy green banana smoothie that’s packed with fiber, micronutrients, and antioxidants.

This easy cabbage smoothie recipe also leaves plenty of room for experimentation. So not only is it already great, but you can easily improve the flavor and nutrients (including extra fiber, protein, healthy fats, etc.) with ingredients that are already in your freezer/pantry. You can also enjoy our Strawberry Kale Smoothie and Kale Pineapple Smoothie recipes for an easy, nutritious breakfast or between-meal snack!

The Benefits of Kale Smoothie with Bananas

Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods on earth. It’s packed with fiber and antioxidants. It is low in fat and calories, but is a rich source of several micronutrients. That includes nearly 70% of your daily recommended vitamin K in a single cup, more vitamin C than an orange, manganese, vitamin A, and calcium.

Meanwhile, bananas are also high in fiber and antioxidants. They are also a rich source of potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Combined, this smoothie promotes blood clotting, blood pressure, heart health, gut health and the immune system. It also has an anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effect!

Looking for more ways to add kale to your diet? Try our crispy baked kale chips, the strawberry kale salad or the kale and bean soup.

The ingredients

Ingredients for Banana Kale Smoothie measured against a white background
  • Banana: It’s best to use frozen, slightly overripe bananas for their natural sweetness and ability to make a wonderfully thick and creamy smoothie. However, use fresh ripe bananas if you like.

you could too Substitute some or all of the bananas with frozen mango or pineapple. To lower the natural sugar in the smoothie, substitute a banana for one ½ an avocado or about ½-¾ cup frozen cauliflower instead of this.

  • Kale: Use any raw kale (baby kale has the mildest flavor) with thick stems removed. Spinach or a combination of both also works.
  • plant milk: You can use any non-dairy milk depending on the creaminess and flavor you want. I.e. almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc. For more flavor, use juice like orange juice, apple juice, or pineapple juice instead.

We often find the bananas sweet enough for us. If not, however, you could add additional sweetener in the form of 1-2 Medjool Events, maple syrup, agaveor a sugar-free sweetener such as effect/erythritol.

What can I add to a kale smoothie?

We love the simplicity of this Banana Kale Smoothie, but that also lends itself to versatility. Here are some of our most popular add-ins.

  • vanilla extract: ½-1 tsp for an added dessert-like flavor.
  • Ginger: Add chopped ginger (½ tsp) or ginger powder (a pinch) for a tangy flavor.
  • Vegan yoghurt: Substitute some non-dairy yogurt for some non-dairy milk for a thicker, creamier kale banana smoothie.
  • other fruits: One of the easiest ways to add flavor and disguise veggies is with extra fruit (substitute ½-¾ cup of other fruit for 1 banana). This kale smoothie goes especially well with mango, pineapple, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, and mixed berries.
  • Seed/Nut Butter: Add 1 Tbsp of peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc. to add rich flavor as well as heart-healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
  • Vegan Protein Powder: Add 1 scoop of unflavored, vanilla, or fruity protein powder for a kale protein smoothie.
  • Oats: ¼ cup of oatmeal adds a ton of fiber for a super filling banana green breakfast smoothie.
  • Ground seeds: Add 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, or hemp seeds for extra fiber, plant-based protein, and heart-healthy omega-3s.

How do you make a Banana Kale Smoothie?

  • 1) Place all ingredients in a high speed blender (liquid and soft ingredients closest to the blade) and process until smooth and creamy.
Process shot of adding banana kale smoothie ingredients to blender
  • 2) Pour the banana and kale smoothie into a glass, optionally top with toppings and enjoy!
Process shot of smoothie being poured into glass container

If you are using an underperforming/old blender you may need to do this Give the machine pauses to scrape the sides. allow bananas 10 minutes to thaw before mixing can also help.

Top tips for the best results

  • Adjust the consistency: For a thinner smoothie, add more plant-based milk. For a thicker ice cube, add a few ice cubes.
  • When using a weak mixer: Always add the soft/liquid ingredients first and use small frozen chopped banana pieces for easier blending. Fresh banana works too, but isn’t as decadent/like nice cream, eh.
  • Season to taste: Experiment with different add-ins. For example, combine the basic recipe with some ground seeds or nut/seed butter with another type of fruit to further boost the nutrients. This increases the fiber, protein, micronutrients, and antioxidants in this kale smoothie recipe.
  • Sweeten to taste: The bananas can be sweet enough, but if not, add your favorite natural sweetener to taste.
ready-made banana and kale smoothie in two glasses

Storage Instructions

We always keep a supply of frozen bananas and other fruit in the freezer for last-minute smoothie (and nice cream) needs. Alternatively, you can make individual ziplock bags with the portioned banana and kale to add to the blender with plant-based milk each morning.

Preferably Consume the frozen kale smoothie immediately after it’s done. If using fresh bananas, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to a day (preferably indoors 4-5 hours), shake well before drinking.

You can also freeze leftover smoothie in ziplock/stasher bag (spread out thinly, excess air squeezed out) for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before giving it a good shake/stir to enjoy.

Alternatively, you can also use the leftovers Pour into popsicle molds as an easy, healthy frozen treat!

More smoothie recipes you’ll love

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

  • Adjust the consistency: For a thinner smoothie, add more plant-based milk. For a thicker ice cube, add a few ice cubes.
  • When using a weak mixer: Always add the soft/liquid ingredients first and use small frozen chopped banana pieces for easier blending. Fresh banana works too, but isn’t as decadent/like nice cream, eh.
  • Season to taste: Experiment with different add-ins. For example, combine the basic recipe with some ground seeds or nut/seed butter with another type of fruit to further boost the nutrients. This increases the fiber, protein, micronutrients, and antioxidants in this kale smoothie recipe.
  • Sweeten to taste: The bananas can be sweet enough, but if not, add your favorite natural sweetener to taste.

Calories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 65GProtein: 11GFat: 6GSaturated Fatty Acids: 1GPolyunsaturated fat: 3GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 1GSodium: 156mgPotassium: 1411mgFiber: 10GSugar: 35GVitamin A: 7772ieVitamin C: 100mgCalcium: 512mgIron: 3mg

Disclaimer: While plantbasedonabudget.com tries to provide accurate nutritional information, please note that these are estimates only. Nutritional information may be affected by product type, brand purchased and in other unpredictable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific calorie regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Author: Roxane McNulty

Course: beverages

Kitchen: American

Method: mixer

Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Banana, easy recipe, healthy recipe, kale, smoothie, vegan smoothie


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