You can make this smoothie year-’round because it contains frozen fruit. The ripeness of the banana is important here: if the banana is more starchy than sweet, your smoothie will taste dull. Blueberries and strawberries are packed with anthocyanadins, the antioxidant compounds that give them their blue and red colors, and they’re a very good source of vitamin C, manganese and fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Bananas are also a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, as well as potassium, fiber and vitamin B6. Add the protein and calcium in the milk, and you’ve got a meal.
Ingredients
For the homemade banana-berry smoothie
- 1 medium-size or large, ripe banana
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- 4 fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 or 3 ice cubes if desired
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
166 calories; 4 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 12 milligrams cholesterol; 53 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
One 16-ounce or two 8-ounce servings
Preparation
For the homemade banana-berry smoothie
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve right away.
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve right away.
- You can substitute frozen banana for the fresh. When your bananas begin to ripen and soften too much, peel, cut in chunks, and freeze in small resealable bags. Use in smoothies, and you won¹t need ice.
- Variation: Almond or rice beverage may be substituted for the milk. Advance preparation: Smoothies should be made and drunk right away. This will thicken and lose flavor if it sits. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.
Dining and Cooking