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This almond butter smoothie is my take on a PB&J sandwich. It’s got it all with a creamy, nutty start and a sweet, grape-y finish with just a hint of banana. You won’t even know the spinach is in there!
This banana almond butter smoothie takes a page right out of my childhood. It’s inspired by the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, yet optimized with a healthy twist.
By adding plenty of protein and healthy fats, we’ve been able to boost this smoothie into a great meal replacement. This means you won’t gulp down these 16 ounces and be hungry 30 minutes later. You’ll be full until the next meal!
Table of Contents
Healthy Benefits of a Banana Almond Butter Smoothie
Spinach and grapes are packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients— so this green smoothie is super healthy and yummy. No added sugar or water needed— this is a sweet take on a child’s classic sandwich filled with fresh fruit and leafy greens.
Grapes are a low sugar fruit, so it has a better blood sugar balance.
Almond butter is a healthy protein source and the better alternative for a paleo diet because almonds are true nuts that grow on trees (peanuts are actually legumes and grow underground, so not paleo-friendly).
Spinach is a powerhouse leafy green packed with vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, manganese for bone health; and plenty of vitamin B2 and B6 for a perfect energy booster!
Bananas are a natural sweetener that also make a super creamy smoothie.
How much almond butter to put in a smoothie?
If you’re new to the world of almond butter, it’s always best to go less. Start with 1 tablespoon, which has nearly 4 grams of protein right there! Taste to see how you like it and add more if you want to.
When using almond butter, I almost always use a banana to sweeten it up and help remove any gritty texture. The banana binds to it and turns it more into a creamy smoothie, than a gritty chunky one.
Pro tip: alternate between storing right side up and upside down to help the natural oils mix back in with your nut butter instead of collecting in one spot inside the jar.
More Protein-Rich Smoothies
There are so many great combinations of almond butter smoothies. Below are a few more that I think you’ll like:
- Cacao Weight-loss Smoothie
- Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie
- Simple Banana Chocolate Smoothie
- 5 Post Workout Smoothie Boosts
Want more protein?
And if you’re looking to level-up this banana almond butter smoothie recipe (or any other) by an additional 10 grams of protein, adding homemade protein powder is an easy win! I got so tired of finding hard to pronounce and not-so-good for me ingredients in my protein powders.
FAQs
For the protein of course! And the yumminess! Almond butter is a plant based protein and healthy fat that can add a creamy thickness to your next green smoothie. Plus almond, along with other nut butters like cashew butter can make a great alternative to those allergic to peanut butter.
It totally sounds counter-intuitive, yet almonds are higher in fat + help you lose weight. Here’s how: drinking a green smoothie with almond butter or other healthy fat alternative vs. one without helps you stay full longer. Fat takes longer to digest, leaving you less hungry for longer periods of time. If you’re still full, you’re not gonna grab that bag of chips or cookies in between meals. Instead, you’ll opt to drink more water and ride out that full feeling all the way til your next meal. Winner!
Great question! And the answer is… it depends. Most of the time, storing in your pantry is just fine. However, if you don’t use your almond butter as quickly as I do in my house, then it might be wise to store in the fridge. This is especially true if you purchase nut butters without preservatives. Keeping it in the fridge extends the shelf life from approx. 2 years to a whopping 4 years.
If you try this smoothie recipe, please leave a comment below and rate this recipe letting me know how it works for you. If you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too! We can all benefit from your experience.
Almond Butter Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup grapes red
- 1 banana
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Blend spinach and almond milk until smooth.
- Next add the remaining fruits and blend again.
Equipment
Notes
- Freeze your grapes overnight to chill this green smoothie and top with sliced almonds for an added crunch.
- Swap banana with 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower to lower the natural sugar in this recipe.
- Swap spinach with the leafy green of your choice.
I love this smoothie! Almond butter makes everything yummy in my book!
This one is a huge hit in our house!
I loved the frozen grape trick! Made the perfect smoothie. 🙂
Frozen grapes make many things better – like hot summer days! So glad you used them in this Almond Butter Smoothie! 🙂
This is one of my favorites! Amazing!
Yummy, yummy, yummy!!! I love this smoothie. I made the recipe exactly as instructed. I did freeze my grapes and bananas. I may add a little more almond butter to it next time, but it really is fabulous as is. I will definitely make this as a go to smoothie.
I have a peanut butter and banana smoothie with chia seeds quite often for breakfast and love it. I’ll try switching to almond butter and adding spinach to it with this recipe (we usually add spinach to just our fruity smoothies). Excited to try it! Thank you!
We’re excited you’re gonna try greens in that smoothie too! Def check back in and let us know what you thought. 🙂
For a nut-free version, I made this with sunflower seed butter instead. I used a cocoa-flavoured sunflower seed butter so it had a chocolate-banana milkshake taste. Loved it – will make again.
Way to rawk a nut free version! Thank you so much for sharing your smoothie success!
This is actually a fav smoothie in our house, and I love adding the almond butter for extra healthy fat for my 2 year old. We often swap grapes out for strawberries, as we have those on hand more often. This is definitely kid approved.
Used peaches instead of grapes and plant protein milk instead of almond it is so smooth and creamy 10/10
Awesome Morgan! So glad you loved it!
I only had green grapes so used those, and it was SO DELICIOUS. My husband loves PB&J so much, I can’t wait to make one for him!
Let us know what he thinks after you make him one! 🙂
This tastes like a peanut butter and jelly/banana sandwich to me. Needed to use up some grapes, but I wasn’t sure about them in a smoothie. All of the reviews helped me go ahead and try. Yummy goodness!
Awesome, Julie! 😀
Somebody needed to review this. I’ve made it lots and like it lots! My three year old really likes how sweet it is 🙂
Thank you Sarah!!! I am so happy to hear that your three year old loves this recipe!!!
Can I eat this smoothie instead of normal meals? Thank you so much
Hi Ha,
Yes, you totally can! When it comes to green smoothies we suggest adding protein and healthy fats to ensure you’re fueling your body with a complete meal. Because this recipe has almond butter, you’re halfway there. Learn more about our favorite meal replacement booster combos here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
I have turmoil with my blood pressure. Most generally always high, but once in awhile I get it lowered, still a bit on the high side. Is there a certain smoothie that helps high blood pressure?
Hi Charlene,
Thanks for reaching out! Looking to help lower your blood pressure? Some great smoothie ingredients are blueberries, fiber (Leafy greens (especially turnip greens and mustard greens), Raspberries, Cinnamon, Pear, Flax Seeds, Beets, Carrots, Oranges, Strawberries), watermelon, + bananas. Add them to your green smoothie, along with your doctor’s guidance to improve your heart health.
Cheers!
My smoothie–
2 cups spinach
1 carrot
1 banana
1/2 cup seedless grapes
1 TB. chia seeds
2 cups water
Yum! Thank you so much for sharing, Maria! 🙂
The link to this one from your main recipe page is broken- one of my faves, so wanted people to see it 🙂
Hi SabChgo,
Thank you so much for reaching out + letting us know. We’re updating all of our photos, so a few links are out of sorts. We’re working hard to have everything back to 100%.
Cheers 🙂