Since I started experimenting with nut butters in smoothies, I find myself craving them more and more as the weather gets colder. After this banana-almond butter smoothie, I’m trying all kinds of nut and seed butters, including sunflower, cashews, tahini, and – of course – peanut butter.
Now, when buying peanut butter pay attention to the label. You don’t want any ingredients that don’t belong there. Ideally, you should see only peanuts.
If you never tried adding peanut butter to a smoothie, you are in for a treat!
It adds delicious creaminess and decadence to the smoothie that makes it perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup almond milk, or any other dairy free milk
- 3 bananas
- 1/2 cup oats (I use uncooked quick oats)
- 1 cup peaches or other fruit, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups mild greens, such as lettuce
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla butter or extract (optional)
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients until very smooth, pour and enjoy!
Variation:
Simple Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
For a super simple chocolate variation, use chocolate soymilk, or try this simplified version:
2 cups light chocolate soymilk or other non dairy milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 large banana
3-4 ice cubes (optional, if you want a cold smoothie)
Ground cinnamon and fresh nutmeg help this smoothie taste like banana bread.
The banana-peanut butter smoothie combination may be the most popular variation of this recipe, but don’t stop there. Hazelnut, macadamia, cashew butter, tahini, sunflower, pumpkin, etc. – adding any of this will make your smoothie deliciously rich, creamy and distinctly buttery.
Health Benefits of Peanut Butter in a Smoothie
The good fats in the peanut butters will help with absorption of nutrients, and slow down the release of the fruit sugar into your bloodstream. They will also provide additional calories in the smoothie – which may be something you’re looking for – or NOT. For my nine-year-old son – it’s perfect. He is not a big eater in the morning, so a smoothie with nut butter, with some oats, is a great option for breakfast or snack.
But even if you are looking for smoothie recipes for weight loss, you don’t have to avoid peanut butter in your smoothies.
This may be counter-intuitive, but adding peanut butter to a smoothie (and other nut butters) may actually help you lose weight. Even though they contain up to 200 calories per serving, all the fiber (2 g per serving) and protein (8 g per serving) will fill you up and keep you feeling full longer, so you eat less overall. Plus, there’s nothing more indulgent than licking peanut butter off a spoon–and indulgence (in moderation) helps dieters fight cravings and stay on track.
Peanut butter is also packed with nutrition. A serving contains 3 mg of the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, 49 mg of bone-building magnesium, 208 mg of muscle-friendly potassium, and 0.17 mg of immunity-boosting vitamin B6. Scientists point out that consuming peanuts can decrease your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that consuming 1 ounce of nuts or peanut butter (about 2 tablespoons) at least 5 days a week can lower the risk of developing diabetes by almost 30%.
A Cup of Compassion??
If you read the title carefully, you may be wondering what’s with the cup of compassion.
Well, it simply means that you’ll be using a cup (or two) of VEGAN-ONLY milks for the smoothie – no animal’s milk please!
Choosing to use plant-based milk is a true sign of kindness and compassion towards millions of animals who needlessly suffer to satisfy our desires and tastes.
It’s not about deprivation, but abundance. You can drink soy, almond, coconut, rice, oat, or hemp milk, to just name a few. Many of these alternatives even come in different flavors, such as sweetened, unsweetened, vanilla, or chocolate! There are so many options, and it’s fun to taste-test a few in order to determine which one you like best.
Plus, there are many more non-dairy, cruelty-free sources of calcium – check them out here.
Please use only non dairy milk in your smoothies! Even this doctor and doctors at PCRM.org will tell you so!
For all my blending recipes – including smoothies, soups, nut butters and milks, I use Vitamix. If you don’t already own a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of! For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website. You may also want to read my post about the Best Blender.
I LOVE my VitaMix and highly recommend investing in one if you are ready to make serious changes to your diet. I have had mine for almost 5 years and use it daily!
If you decide to purchase Vitamix – be sure to use Promotional Code 06-004554 to get free shipping.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!
I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!
Hello, regarding the peanut butter banana green smoothie, is it one serving or two?