I have been working on eating a really clean diet the past few weeks and working out and avoiding sugar in general. Summer starts early in California so time to ditch the holiday weight and get ready for shorts and swim suits!
I have a ferocious sweet tooth though and I wanted to share an easy smoothie recipe that I have been making quite a bit lately.
This one has protein and no added sugar so a perfect afternoon treat when you might need a little kick. I like to have this before my gym workouts for a boost of energy.
It is very easy to make- this makes enough for one very large smoothie. Mine usually fills the pint size mason jar pictured above with plenty of extra.
I called this a skinny smoothie although it isn’t super low in calories. The bananas and the almond butter do have calories but I think this is a great choice when you need a kick of energy and it is very, very filling. No added sugar!
- 1½- 2 chopped and frozen bananas
- ½ cup cooled coffee
- ½ cup milk or almond milk
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- Add all the ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth!
This is roughly 250 calories or so if you use one banana. I have found that one banana doesn’t get the smoothie thick enough so I prefer to add 1 1/2 or 2 frozen bananas. That will give you the thickness and creaminess. If you do add a second banana that will add another 100 calories but this is incredibly filling- and even though I use unsweetened cocoa I find it sweet enough to control a sugar craving.
You can add a bit more unsweetened cocoa powder if you like- up to one tablespoon is nice.
And that is it! If you are used to the super sweet Starbucks Frappuccino type drinks this might not be sweet enough for you. You might add a little sugar to the smoothie and you can always slowly decrease that until you don’t need it at all.
And if you have never tried almond butter, here is a really quick and easy Homemade Almond Butter recipe to make it at home. I have used peanut butter in the past and it just doesn’t taste as good.
You can start small to be sure you like it with just a handful of almonds:
And if you are trying to cut out soda and other sugary drinks from your diet, I love this super easy homemade orange “soda” recipe.
See more healthy recipes, workout tips and lots more smoothie recipes on my Pinterest Boards.
{Recipe Adapted from Redbook Magazine}
Thank you for all of these wonderful, healthier recipes!
You are so welcome! If you try this one let me know what you think Katie!
Yum! Have you tried this with coconut oil or coconut milk?
Lisa– I have not but I really like almond milk and it is thicker so I am thinking it might be even better with this recipe then the lowfat milk I have been using. I don’t know about coconut oil but coconut milk might be good 🙂
Hello! I’d like to make something like this but cannot eat bananas, is there another fruit that might have the same texture? Any ideas would be wonderful!
Bethany- the bananas help to thicken. Can you eat Greek Yogurt? You might try that. Maybe 3 tablespoons?
Re: almond milk: I was recently diagnosed as diabetic which means I have to limit carbs. Almond milk is WONDERFUL for that. It really doesn’t have any protein at all so you can’t depend on it for that, but it’s also VERY LOW CARBS & SUGAR and makes a terrific base for smoothies. The prepackaged stuff off the shelves is the cheapest and it stays fresh in my fridge for a couple weeks after I open it. For 30 calories, no fat and almost no carbs per serving, it’s perfect for smoothies. Add non fat, low calorie Greek yogurt ( some have 80 calories….just look for them) and you have a healthy drink. The almond milk is enriched with vitamins and calcium, tho, so it IS worth something more than just using water. Its lactose free, also. I’m sooo glad I found this.
Hi, I’m allergic to nuts is there anything that can substitute in this recepie. Thanks
Cece– let’s see… I would try it with 2 frozen bananas. The almond butter adds a bit of thickness and another layer of flavor so I can’t think of anything to substitute. Maybe just omit it and the extra banana should help make it thicker.
I just made this and it’s amazing! I make something similar but never thought to add coffee – it’s just what I need to get through my job at night. Thank you! Also, have you tried PB2 yet? That would definitely skinny this up 🙂
Molly– I haven’t. I have heard such bad things about PB2 as far as health concerns with the ingredients. I know people love it but I haven’t tried it myself. I figure raw almonds are worth the extra calories because it is a real food :). Plus I just love almond butter as a quick snack.
I add chia seeds to my drinks to give them that thick texture.
Another way to thicken your smoothie without adding more banana (which has high sugar content by the way) is add about 1/4 cup wheat germ which is also very healthy for you.
For those allergic to nuts, you might try a half of an avocado or a full small one to thicken the smoothie…I use avocado and bout a tablespoon of plain yogurt for thickening my green smoothies…gives great texture. Enjoy!
You can always use dates instead of bananas. They add sweetness and help thicken the smoothie.
Thank you for sharing these awesome recipes. I know I need that kick of energy mid afternoon and I will be making this today.
Have you ever tried putting in a scoop of protein powder in this??
Thanks
Joy
Joy, I am not a protein powder person so I have not tried it. I think it would be good though!