High in protein and carbs and low in saturated fat, this easy banana smoothie recipe is the perfect pick-me-up for any time of the day.  Loved by kids and adults alike – mmmm, peanut butter – it can be whipped up and poured into a bottle for breakfast-on-the-run.

Indians have been on to how refreshing a chilled yoghurt drink is for millennia with lassi being one of their national drinks. Drinking yoghurt is great for digestion, and in ayurveda is thought to also calm the mind. It’s taken a while, but we’re catching on and we love our fruit and dairy drinks. In fact, here at taste.com.au, we have a collection of over 120 recipes. That’s a smoothie a day for over 2 years without doubling up. 

Why we love this banana smoothie recipe

We love that although it tastes like a decadent milkshake, this banana smoothie is good for you, with a health score of 8.3. You can play around with this simple recipe by adding cocoa powder for a chocolatey feel or add a handful of strawberries. We love the addition of peanut butter that provides a salty contrast to the sweet tropical banana. Keep some frozen banana chunks in the freezer and omit the ice or use non dairy milk and yoghurt – or coconut water – for a vegan version.

What you need for a thick and creamy banana smoothie

  • Bananas: You need your bananas to be ripe and sweet but not so ripe that they are blackened. Save those for banana bread. 
  • Milk: We use skim milk as it has the same amount of calcium – sometimes even more – than full fat but with less fat.
  • Yoghurt: Adds healthy bacteria to the smoothie as well as a creamy texture.
  • Peanut butter: Either crunchy or smooth can be used as it’s all going to be whizzed up in the blender. Check the ingredients as it’s best to use peanut butter with no added sugar. Almond butter or tahini can also be used.
  • Honey: Honey is used as a sweetener as – unlike sugar -it’s easily blended into the smoothie. You could also use maple syrup if preferred. 
  • Wheatgerm: Wheatgerm is high in antioxidants, fibre and vitamin-E. As well as breakfast dishes it can also be added to breads.

Ingredients (8)

  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled, coarsely chopped
  • 375ml (1 1/2 cups) skim milk
  • 70g (1/4 cup) low-fat natural yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp Coles crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp wheat germ
  • 6 ice cubes
  • Honey, extra, to serve