Strawberry Banana Smoothie

If dessert and breakfast had a baby, it would be this Strawberry Banana Smoothie. Sweet berries and creamy frozen banana blend up thick enough to pass for soft-serve — and the secret ingredient (frozen cauliflower, which I promise you cannot taste) makes it even creamier while sneaking a vegetable past everyone at the table. Here’s what’s actually in the glass:

• Real-food sweetness: every bit of the sweet in this smoothie comes from strawberries and banana — no added sugar, no juice.
• Fiber boost: chia seeds, banana, and that hidden cauliflower team up for 17g of fiber per serving — the reason this one keeps you satisfied all morning instead of snacky by 10am.
• Little extras: chia brings plant-based omega-3s and a bit of protein, bananas bring potassium, and strawberries deliver vitamin C and antioxidants.
• Kid-approved: it tastes like a strawberry milkshake, so blend a double batch — you will be asked to share.

Enjoy my other strawberry smoothie combinations: strawberry blueberry smoothie, strawberry mango smoothie and strawberry watermelon smoothie

Smoothie Ingredients

• Frozen strawberries: Look for unsweetened frozen strawberries in the frozen fruit section. Check the label to make sure no added sugars or syrups are included.
• Banana: Choose ripe bananas (yellow with a few brown spots). Riper bananas are sweeter and blend better in smoothies. if you have extras, you can freeze bananas for future smoothies.
• Almond milk: Choose unsweetened almond milk brand for lower sugar or make your own homemade almond milk.
• Frozen cauliflower: Look for frozen riced cauliflower or frozen florets—riced blends more easily. Adding a little frozen cauliflower to fruit smoothies adds fiber + extra creaminess and doesn’t ruin the taste. Promise this is a winner (and you’ll never go back to a straight fruit smoothie).
• Chia seeds: Black or white chia seeds are both fine—there’s no nutritional difference. These superfoods add omega-3s, fiber, and protein.

1. Pour the almond milk into the blender first, then add the banana next, broken into chunks. Stop with frozen strawberries. The riper the banana, the sweeter the smoothie — this recipe has no added sugar, so a spotty banana is doing all the sweetening. Liquid on the bottom, frozen on top helps the blades pull everything down into a vortex instead of stalling.
2. Blend on high for 30+ seconds — longer than you think you need. If the blades stall, stop and add almond milk one splash at a time.
3. Add in frozen cauliflower and chia seeds (if using).
4. Blend on high speed (again) until the smoothie is completely smooth, slightly paler pink, and you can’t see any flecks of cauliflower.
5. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy right away, or seal it in a jar filled to the top for up to 24 hours (shake before drinking).

Make it With Yogurt

Want it tangier, creamier, and more filling smoothie? Swap in ½ cup of yogurt: use plain Greek yogurt if you do dairy (it takes the protein from 9g to about 16g per glass), or a thick coconut, almond, or soy yogurt to keep this completely plant-based. I have a super simple and incredibly tasting cashew coconut yogurt.

When you add yogurt, cut the almond milk back to ¾ cup so it stays milkshake-thick instead of thin.