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I’m always on the lookout for quick, healthy, and delicious breakfast or snack I can drink on the go. And let me tell you, I’ve struck gold with this Avocado Banana Smoothie. It’s packed with nutrients, super easy to make, and tastes surprisingly amazing, even with the spinach! Don’t let the green color scare you – this smoothie is a creamy, dreamy avocado banana delight.
Why this Smoothie Rawks
This avocado banana smoothie recipe is a winner for anyone who craves a delicious, healthy, and easy breakfast or quick snack. It’s the perfect balance of creamy and refreshing, with the sweetness of mango and banana perfectly complementing the subtle earthiness of spinach and the richness of avocado.
It’s a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamins, healthy fats, and fiber to fuel your day. Plus, it’s incredibly versatile – easily customizable with ingredient swaps to suit your taste and what you have on hand. Whether you’re a smoothie newbie or a seasoned pro, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite.
Ingredient You’ll Need
This avocado banana smoothie recipe is perfect for those busy mornings when you need something fast and nutritious. It’s also a great way to sneak in some extra greens, especially if you’re not a big fan of salads (I’m not really either). Plus, the combination of avocado and banana creates a wonderfully smooth and creamy texture that’s hard to resist.
Fresh Spinach
For the smoothest spinach smoothies, start with a good blender for smoothies and add liquids first to create a vortex. Don’t overpack the blender; add spinach gradually, and avoid using store-bought frozen spinach if possible since it’s often blanched and has a weird flavor. Blend until completely smooth, removing stems beforehand, and consider using milder baby spinach. Adding a squeeze of lemon juice can brighten the flavor of the smoothie if you’re still terrified of spinach. If you don’t like spinach, try another leafy green.
Water
Ditch the almond milk drama and the yogurt yuppies – water is the unsung hero of the smoothie world. It’s cheap, it’s readily available, and it lets the actual flavors of your fruits and veggies shine. Plus, it keeps things light and refreshing, perfect for a post-workout boost or a sweltering summer day. So, embrace the H2O, my friend, and let your blended creations truly shine.
Avocado
Avocado in a smoothie? Absolutely! This creamy, green powerhouse isn’t just for toast. Adding avocado transforms your average green smoothie into a nutritional superstar. Its healthy fats provide sustained energy and a satisfying richness that keeps you full longer, while also helping your body absorb all the vitamins from your leafy greens. Learn how to cut an avocado like a pro.
Banana
Bananas are the perfect partner for spinach in a smoothie. Their natural sweetness beautifully complements the sometimes earthy or slightly bitter notes of spinach, creating a balanced and delicious flavor profile. Beyond taste, bananas lend a creamy, smooth texture that transforms even the most fibrous spinach into a drinkable delight. This creamy consistency also helps to mask any lingering “green” taste that some find off-putting.
Mango
Mangoes contribute a luscious, creamy texture, transforming your smoothie into a velvety smooth treat. This creaminess helps to mask any lingering “green” taste, making it perfect for picky eaters or those new to green smoothies. Plus, mangoes are packed with vitamins C and A, boosting the nutritional profile of your drink and adding an extra dose of healthy goodness to your already vitamin-rich spinach. Check out this post to learn how to cut a mango.
Fresh VS Frozen Fruit
Fresh fruit in smoothies offers the potential for the brightest, most vibrant flavors and may contain slightly higher levels of certain heat-sensitive vitamins. However, fresh fruit can be more expensive, requires more prep work, and can spoil quickly, leading to food waste.
Frozen fruit, on the other hand, is often more affordable, readily available year-round, and pre-chopped for convenience. It also helps create a thicker, colder smoothie without the need for ice, which can dilute the flavor.
Helpful Ingredient Swaps
Feeling adventurous? Let’s get creative with this smoothie! Here’s a few suggestions to help you swap ingredients or even add to the smoothie based on what you have on hand.
- Sweetness: Mango or pear (instead of banana).
- Creaminess/Protein: Greek yogurt.
- Avocado Replacement: Cashews or coconut cream.
- Mango Alternatives: Pineapple, peach, or berries.
- Liquid Base: Try coconut water or cashew milk instead of water.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are helpful step-by-step instructions for your avocado banana smoothie:
- Prepare your ingredients: Wash your spinach thoroughly if it’s not pre-washed. No need to chop it too finely, as the blender will take care of that. Halve your avocado and remove the pit. You can roughly chop it to make blending easier. Have your frozen mango chunks and half a banana ready.
- Combine liquids and greens: Add the water to your blender first. This helps create a vortex and ensures the spinach blends smoothly. Then, add the spinach.
- Blend the greens: Secure the lid on your blender and start blending. If you have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix blender), blend on high until the spinach is completely liquified and no chunks remain. With a regular blender, you might need to stop and scrape down the sides a couple of times to ensure everything is blended. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Add the avocado, frozen mango, and banana to the blender.
- Blend until smooth: Secure the lid again and blend until everything is completely smooth and creamy. Since you’re using frozen mango, this might take a little longer in a regular blender. Again, stopping and scraping down the sides might be necessary.
- Check the consistency: If your smoothie is too thick, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time, and blend again until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, you can add a few more pieces of frozen mango and blend.
- Taste and adjust: Give your smoothie a taste. If you’d like it sweeter, you could add a little honey or maple syrup. If it needs a little zing, a squeeze of lime or lemon juice can be a great addition. Blend again briefly to incorporate any additions.
- Serve immediately: Pour your smoothie into a glass and enjoy immediately. Smoothies are best consumed fresh.
Avocado Banana Smoothie Add-Ins
Feel free to experiment by adding other ingredients to this smoothie. Here’s a few I would suggest trying with this avocado banana smoothie recipe:
- Chia seeds: A tablespoon or two adds a boost of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein. They have a mild flavor and thicken the smoothie slightly.
- Kale: Don’t be afraid to add more greens! Kale is a nutritional powerhouse with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and antioxidants.
- Ginger: A small piece of fresh ginger adds a zesty kick and has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Protein powder: add a plant-based protein powder to thicken your smoothie and make it extra creamy.
Common Questions
Add more liquid, such as water, milk (dairy or non-dairy), or juice, a little at a time, and blend again until you reach your desired consistency.
Yes, as long as the avocado isn’t overly brown or mushy. A slightly soft avocado is fine for blending.
While the banana contributes sweetness and creaminess, you could try using mango, pear, or even a bit of honey or maple syrup for sweetness. The texture might be slightly different.
Yes, frozen avocado chunks are available and work well in smoothies. They also help make the smoothie colder and thicker.
Yes! The bananas and avocados lend a creaminess to the whole smoothie while boosting the fiber and adding some natural sweetness for a quick energy boost. Avocados are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, reducing cardiovascular disease risk. They’re also rich in potassium, essential for balancing blood pressure.
They sure do. Bananas and avocados blend into a creamy, subtly sweet mix, ideal for smoothies. The banana’s sweetness masks the avocado’s mild flavor, creating a delicious and nutritious combination.
Avocado + Banana Resources
Avocado Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup water
- ½ avocado
- ½ banana
- ½ cup mango frozen
Instructions
- Blend spinach and water together until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend again.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Use at least one frozen fruit to make the smoothie cold or serve over ice.
- If this creamy smoothie is having a hard time blending well in your smoothie then add a bit more water until the blades turn easily on their own.
- Add in a serving of Homemade Protein Powder to have a clean superboost
An easy smoothie to whip up. It has a good texture and thickness. A little too bland for my liking though.
Advocado makes the smoothie creamier and to think of all the benefits added to the smoothie. The combination of ingredients is tasty!
great for breakfast! i added the protein smoothie powder and was full until lunch.
The avocado gave a wonderful creaminess to it. I will definitely be having it again.
I joined the challenge and this is a great one! I just found out that avocados can be bought frozen so that would help make it colder! Both hubby and i enjoyed. First time trying avocado in our smoothie
Hi Karen – yes! Avocado can be bought frozen – so awesome! I love using as many frozen ingredients as I can in my smoothies. The thicker and colder, the better!
I quite enjoyed this smoothie. The avocado and banana made it very smooth and creamy. My first taste I wasn’t sure I liked it, but I powered through and found that it grew on me. I would definitely make this one again.
This smoothie was delicious! Next time, I will add a little more mango, but otherwise, I enjoyed it.
I’ve done smoothie cleanses before but I’ve never used Avocado. This smoothie is very creamy. It does not have a lot of taste but I may add honey or stevia when I make it again. Very filling. I did it as a meal replacement and glad that I did.
Delicious and easy to throw together before work!
My husband and I loved it. Kept you full all morning.
Used banana with peel . Very creamy. Also used coconut water. Keeper!
Deliciious!!! Quite a nice blend.
It was a little too earthy for me. Maybe next time I will add more mango since I couldn’t really tell there was fruit in it.
This smoothie is sooooo delicious. I did not want it to finish. Planning tlto continue to make this after the challenge is over.
Loved this smoothie made it this while I had an exam added a bit of spinach and wow lovely!!
Day 1: I made a classic error in not reading the recipe through before beginning. I added all ingredients and then blended. I have a Vitamix, started at 1 and slowly dialed to 10. Blended until the consistency looked good. I have made green smoothies before 3 years ago. I added a scoop of vanilla bean flavour organic plant-based protein I bought from Costco.
It tasted very chalky with a strong vanilla flavour. I will be making another one for my hubbie tonight but will read everything carefully first! If it’s ok I’ll post his review.
I love this smoothie! Great taste, creamy, the combination of flavors was perfect. I love avocados so this was a great fit for me. I added a bit more water because it came out very creamy. I will make this one again and again!
Nice and creamy! So good!