Dairy-free Strawberry Banana Smoothie
gluten-free | grain-free | dairy-free | tree nut free | egg free
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | June 15, 2023
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For all you smoothie fans out there, this modern pioneer recipe is for you! And non-smoothie fans, I think you should still give this recipe a try, it’s just that good! It’s super simple, but that’s what makes it soooo good. This dairy-free strawberry smoothie is my absolute favorite smoothie of all time. It is super easy to make, uses wholesome ingredients, and is bursting with flavor! Whether you enjoy smoothies for breakfast, as a snack, or for lunch…. this dairy-free strawberry smoothie should definitely be put on your summer smoothie list! I whip up one of these frequently for a nutritious, sweet snack or as a refreshing summer breakfast!
Modern Pioneer Recipe
Smoothies are a modern pioneer recipe. I’m pretty sure the early pioneers did not make smoothies simply because fresh fruit was not readily available and there was no way to thoroughly puree the ingredients. But that’s okay, smoothies make a great modern pioneer recipe!
I first started having smoothies for snack to get my daily serving of fruit. Then, when I wanted to switch up my daily breakfast of eggs, I decided to try having smoothies for breakfast! Now I enjoy having smoothies for breakfast, snack, or as a nutritious, refreshing lunch.
Since smoothies are so simple and use minimal ingredients, they truly are a very versatile and allergy-friendly food to make. This strawberry smoothie happens to be….
- dairy-free
- tree nut free
- peanut free
- egg free
- gluten-free
- grain-free
- soy free
While some smoothie ingredients, like bananas, might be hard to source from the homestead, there are still ways you can make a sustainable smoothie! The milk, honey, and strawberries very well could be sourced from your homestead. But if not, try to buy your ingredients from local sources. Make sure the fruit is organic, the honey is raw, and the milk is sustainably sourced.
Summer Smoothie Ideas
I know smoothies aren’t just a summer food, but I often associate them with summer since they are so refreshing and fruity. Eating what is in season is something modern pioneers like to do, so with all the fresh summer fruit and berries, why not make smoothies!
I love that smoothies are so versatile and can be as simple or complex as you want them to be! I usually start with a base of dairy-free milk and some honey, but the rest of the flavorings can be customizable. Plan ol’ strawberry and banana happens to be my favorite flavor, but there are many more flavors you can try!
Check out these smoothie flavor combinations:
- triple berry– banana, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry
- blueberry– banana and blueberries
- chocolate– banana, cacao powder
- tropical– mango, pineapple, banana
- peanut butter and jelly– peanut butter, strawberries, banana
Along with being so versatile in flavors, there are also a number of add-ins that you can throw into your smoothie mix! Personally, I’m not a huge fan of add-ins since I like a smooth, straight-forward flavored smoothie. However, my mom loves adding extras to her smoothies that she claims she can’t even tell are in the smoothie!
Here are some popular add-ins if you are feeling adventurous:
- chia seeds– adds protein and nutrition
- collagen– adds protein (I like to put collagen in muffins instead!)
- spinach– often pairs well with chocolate smoothies
Benefits of a Smoothie
Smoothies are a nutritious breakfast, snack, or lunch option. They are also hydrating and energizing! Depending on what you put in your smoothie, you can optimize it for select nutritional values! Me… I just like to let the ingredients shine through and whatever nutrition they add to the smoothie, all the better.
When you fix a smoothie using simple, wholesome ingredients, you can be getting in some great nutrition and health benefits! Here are some of the benefits that my favorite ingredients provide:
- Bananas– high in vitamin B6, manganese, vitamin C, and potassium
- Berries– rich in anti-oxidants, vitamin powerhouses, improves digestion
- Raw Honey– contains anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties, is anti-inflammatory and boosts the immune system, stabilizes blood sugar levels
- Coconut Milk– provides electrolytes and healthy fats, is a rich source of iron and is anti-inflammatory
Serving & Storing
This dairy-free strawberry smoothie serves one person (because I usually just make it for myself) but it can easily be doubled or tripled to serve more people. You can use one or more bananas and add more strawberries, raw honey, and coconut milk.
Like I mentioned before, I like to have smoothies for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. When I have a smoothie for breakfast or lunch, I usually like to have something else to accompany the smoothie to fill me up and tide me over till’ snack or the next meal time. Homemade granola and homemade muffins are two of my favorite things to pair with a smoothie. I especially like having peanut butter granola with my smoothie since the peanut butter provides some protein that will last me longer than just carbs or sugars (even if they are natural sugars).
As for muffins, my all-time favorite muffin always pairs well with a strawberry banana smoothie. Grain-free chocolate chip muffins or gluten-free chocolate chip muffins make a great side to this smoothie!
Since this is a single serving smoothie, you shouldn’t have any leftovers. This smoothie doesn’t fair well when saved for later or made up ahead of time. The banana oxygenizes and turns the smoothie an interesting brown color. Still totally edible, just not that appetizing!
Smoothie Recipe Tips
You may be wondering, are recipe tips really necessary if this recipe is as simple as you say it is!? Well, probably not, but I still wanted to give you a few tips and smoothie making tricks that I have discovered when making the best smoothies ever!
- High-Power Blender: You can use any high power blender for blending up your smoothie. I like to use a Vitamix.
- Fresh or Frozen? Frozen or fresh berries work great in this smoothie! If you use fresh berries, add 4-5 ice cubes to make the smoothie chill and refreshing.
- Frozen Banana? Alternatively, you can freeze your banana and use frozen banana instead of frozen berries or ice cubes. If you use a frozen banana and frozen berries, you will have smoothie ice cream!
- Blend, blend, blend! Everything should smooth and creamy when you are done blending! I have never over-blended my smoothie.
- Ripe Bananas: The riper the banana, the sweeter the smoothie. Also, the riper a banana is the more banana flavor it will add to the smoothie.
- Milk Options: For milk options, my favorite dairy-free milk is coconut milk beverage, but you can also use almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, or hemp milk. Try making your own homemade dairy-free milk to use in your smoothies!
- Yogurt Option: You can substitute in dairy-free yogurt for part of or all of the milk, it will make the smoothie thicker.
Whether you like a refreshing, cold smoothie for snack or enjoy a nutritious beverage for breakfast, this dairy-free strawberry banana smoothie is perfect! Make a smoothie bowl or sip it from a glass drinking jar, I love pairing my smoothie with homemade granola or homemade muffins!
Dairy-free Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 T. raw honey
- 7 strawberries fresh or frozen
- 7 ice cubes- if using fresh berries
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage
Instructions
- Peel the banana and break it into chunks. Place it in a high powder blender (I use a Vitamix).
- If using fresh berries, wash and hull the strawberries, then place them in the with the banana. Add the frozen berries if you are using those instead.
- Add the ice cubes if you are using fresh berries and the coconut milk (or yogurt).
- Start blending everything together slowly, then increase to high power. Blend until everything is smooth. Pour into a drinking glass.
- Enjoy with some homemade granola or a muffin!
Where to Find the Ingredients
This dairy-free strawberry smoothie contains a few simple ingredients, is easy to make, nutritious, and it’s bursting with flavor! I love the smooth, creamy texture and the bold strawberry banana flavor. It’s the perfect allergy-friendly breakfast option or healthy snack idea! Serve yourself up a glass with some homemade granola or your favorite muffin. Bursting with nutrition and providing many health benefits, you can’t get much better than this smoothie as a staple summer beverage!
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Dottie Lehr
July 23, 2018 10:52 pmThis is too good to be called granola! Maybe “cookie crumble”? 😊
ThePioneerChicks
July 24, 2018 8:30 amAdding a few chocolate chips would definitely move it up to cookie crumble status!