Strawberry Blackberry Banana Smoothie | Bites of Wellness

Strawberry blackberry banana smoothie is so thick, creamy and the perfect quick and easy breakfast. Naturally sweetened, this healthy blackberry strawberry banana smoothie is made with simple ingredients and a great use for summer produce! Make this refreshing smoothie all year long with frozen fruit!

Why you will love this recipe

• Easy to make – This strawberry banana blackberry smoothie requires almost no effort to make. Simply measure the ingredients, add them all to the blender and blend until smooth. Perfect for busy mornings or anytime you are looking for a refreshing and healthy snack!
• Simple ingredients – this healthy strawberry blackberry banana smoothie is made with easy to find ingredients that you likely have in your fridge/freezer/cabinets right now (especially if you have summer produce on hand). All you need is fresh or frozen berries, bananas, oats, chia seeds and your favorite dairy free milk to make this good for you smoothie recipe.
• Make ahead options – if you are always short on time or know you need breakfast or lunch on the go, you can even make smoothie packs ahead of time and store them in the freezer. This way all you have to do is dump the smoothie pack in the blender and blend – ready in 1 minute flat!
• Customizable – this blackberry strawberry smoothie is very customizable based on what you have on hand. If you want to add more protein or don’t have an ingredient, there are lots of options below to help you make a thick, creamy, delicious smoothie no matter what!
• Healthy recipe you will actually want to eat –this blackberry strawberry banana smoothie is sweet enough to serve as dessert but healthy enough to be breakfast, lunch, a post workout smoothie or even dessert. As written, this recipe is vegan, gluten free, dairy free and plant based. You could make this smoothie Whole30 and paleo friendly by omitting the rolled oats. You could add cashews or avocado to replace the oats.

Ingredients

Fresh or frozen strawberries– typically when making smoothies, I prefer using frozen berries as they help make the smoothie super cold and refreshing. Frozen strawberries can sometimes not be as sweet as fresh though, so if you have lots of perfectly sweetened fresh strawberries, simply cut off the stem (hull the strawberries) and use them in the smoothie instead. You may want to add some ice to the smoothie if you aren’t using any frozen fruit.

Fresh or frozen blackberries – the same goes for blackberries as the strawberries. I typically use frozen blackberries when I have them on hand, but sometimes fresh are easier to find. If you are using all fresh fruit, you will want to add some ice to the smoothie to ensure it’s cold enough.

Fresh or frozen banana – the banana really helps to naturally sweeten the smoothie and make it super creamy. Frozen bananas get especially creamy (which you may have experienced if you ever made nice cream before). Typically, I will cut up 2-3 ripe bananas into coins and freeze them solid on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Once frozen, transfer the banana coins to a freezer safe bag for about a week.

Oats – oats help to make the smoothie thick and creamy as well. They also help make the smoothie a bit more filling as the oats provide some extra fiber, protein and calories to the smoothie.

Dairy free milk of choice – use your go-to dairy free milk here! Some great options would be almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, flax milk or coconut milk (in a carton not a can). You could also use regular dairy milk if you are not dairy free/vegan.

Almond butter – almond butter helps to make this smoothie creamy and more filling. You can also use cashew butter, peanut butter or sunbutter to make this nut free.

Chia seeds – chia seeds help to make the smoothie thick as the chia seeds absorb liquid as they are blended into the smoothie. If you haven’t tried chia seeds in things like homemade jelly, you are going to love how they thicken everything they are added to. Chia seeds also add fiber and healthy fats to the smoothie. Tip: add the chia seeds last right before blending so they don’t stick to the side of your blender.

Top tips

• If you are using all fresh fruit in this smoothie, I recommend adding ice cubes to ensure the smoothie is cold and creamy. Add about 1/2 cup of ice and reduce the milk by 1/4 cup to compensate for the ice.
• I recommend using frozen fruit most of the time because it helps the smoothies get nice and cold and it’s usually more budget friendly than using fresh fruit. During the summer fresh fruit may be a more affordable option. You can also freeze fresh summer fruit yourself if you pick more than you can eat at once.
• Add the chia seeds last to the blender or they can get stuck to the sides and not quite blend into the smoothie all the way.
• To troubleshoot the consistency of the smoothie: If you find that your smoothie is too thick or won’t blend, add more liquid (milk, water or even yogurt). If your smoothie is too watery, add more oats or fruit, specifically banana or add about 1/2 cup of cauliflower rice or 1-2 scoops of vegan protein powder (this will help to thicken the smoothie without adding any more fruit).
• The riper your bananas, the sweeter the smoothie. I like to cut the bananas into coins and freeze them flat on a wax paper or parchment paper lined baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the frozen banana coins into a freezer safe bag for up to a week.
• Time saving tip: Want to make your smoothie in even less time? Make a smoothie freezer bag! Simply measure all the ingredients (except for the milk) in a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to make the smoothie, simply drop all the ingredients into the blender, add milk and blend. So easy!
• If you have leftovers or want to enjoy this smoothie in a new way – pour leftover smoothie into popsicle molds and freeze solid. 

Other additions

• To make it creamier: Canned coconut milk, yogurt (dairy free or regular) or avocado
• To add veggies: Cauliflower rice, frozen zucchini, fresh or frozen spinach or kale
• To add protein: Protein powder, hemp hearts, greek style yogurt (dairy free or regular)
• To make it sweeter: Medjool dates (remove the pit), maple syrup, date syrup or honey (not vegan)

Common questions

Can you make this into a smoothie bowl?

Yes! This smoothie is very thick (thanks to the oats and the chia seeds). It can easily be served as a smoothie bowl without any changes. Top the smoothie bowl with your favorite toppings.

Topping ideas

• Fresh fruit: sliced strawberries, bananas, blackberries
• Nut butters: almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, sunbutter or coconut butter
• Chopped nuts or seeds: almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
• Coconut flakes
• Granola

Can you make this smoothie without banana?

Yes! The banana helps to sweeten the smoothie naturally and helps to create the creamy consistency.

If you don’t love banana or don’t have banana on hand, you can add about ¼-1/2 cup of frozen cauliflower rice and 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (or 1-2 pitted dates) to give the smoothie a very similar texture and taste.

The cauliflower rice helps create that same creamy consistency (I promise your smoothie won’t taste like cauliflower) and the maple syrup/dates help to add the necessary sweetness.

Is this blackberry strawberry banana smoothie healthy?

Although I believe that everyone has a different definition of healthy, this homemade strawberry banana blackberry smoothie is so much healthier than pretty much anything you will get out at smoothie shops. This smoothie uses whole fruits (no juices or added sugars) and other natural ingredients that add fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making it a healthy choice!

Many smoothie chains add fruit juices, purees, added sugars, artificial flavors and sweeteners making the smoothies no better than a soda or milkshake. This homemade smoothie is a healthy option because it avoids all those added ingredients.

How to add protein to smoothies

Smoothies can be a great quick and easy meal, especially in the summer months when it’s hot! Balancing out the natural sugars from the fruit with healthy fats and protein can help to make this an even more balanced meal. Here are some very easy ways to add protein to this strawberry blackberry banana smoothie:

• Protein powder – depending on the protein powder you add, you may need to add a bit more dairy free milk or water to ensure the smoothie doesn’t get too thick. For most vegan protein powders, you will need to add more milk (about 1/4 cup). If you are using a whey protein or collagen, you won’t need to add any more milk or water.
• Hemp hearts – 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts provide 10 grams of protein!
• Greek style yogurt (vegan or regular)- a serving of Greek style yogurt can provide between 10-25 grams of protein and can make the smoothies super creamy.
• Peanut butter powder – 2 tablespoons of peanut butter powder add about 7 grams of protein. This is a simple way to add lots of protein.
• Oats – ½ cup of oats adds about 5 grams of protein. You can increase the amount of oats in this recipe to increase the protein.

Can you make smoothies in advance?

You can make this smoothie up to 24 hours in advance. Be sure to store it in the fridge in an airtight container until you are ready to enjoy it.

You can also make smoothie packs in advance to freeze all the ingredients (except the milk) in a freezer safe bag or container. When you are ready to enjoy the smoothie, simply drop the ingredients from the smoothie pack into the blender, add milk and blend on high until smooth.

Storing leftovers

Fridge: Store leftover strawberry blackberry banana smoothie in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

Freezer: You can pour leftover smoothie into ice cube molds to use in smoothies later in the month. You can also pour leftover smoothie in popsicle molds as well. This is my favorite way to store leftover smoothies.

If you love this recipe, check out these other smoothie recipes

Strawberry Banana Chocolate Smoothie

Apple Banana Spinach Smoothie

Carrot Banana Smoothie

Spinach Blueberry Smoothie

Mango Kale Smoothie

Spinach Banana Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl