Are you looking for the perfect way to start your day with a delicious and nutritious breakfast? Look no further than this blueberry banana protein smoothie recipe. With a few simple ingredients like fresh fruit, yoghurt, and protein powder, this healthy smoothie is easy to make and packed with essential vitamins, healthy fats, and plenty of protein to fuel your morning.

Protein shakes can tend to be high on the calorie spectrum but to keep the calories down, use lower-fat or fat-free dairy in this recipe.

You can swap the peanut butter for almond butter or any other nut butter. Alternatively, if you want to keep the calories down further simply leave it out. I do love the flavour it adds.

I have added flaxseeds and chia seeds to add fibre to this protein banana and blueberry smoothie, and you could add more if you want a boost. You can replace the flaxseed and chia seeds with hemp seeds for even more protein.

Frozen blueberries are always on hand in my freezer for smoothies as this gives the smoothie a lovely thick and icy texture, you could use frozen banana if you prefer too.

Eating protein for breakfast is important for several reasons:

Helps to keep you full: Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, which means it can help keep you feeling full for longer periods. This can help reduce the likelihood of overeating later in the day.
Supports muscle health: Eating protein in the morning can help support muscle health and prevent muscle breakdown. This is especially important for people who engage in physical activity or strength training.
Helps to stabilize blood sugar: Eating protein with breakfast can help stabilize blood sugar levels, which can help prevent energy crashes and improve overall energy levels throughout the day.
Supports weight management: Studies have shown that consuming a high-protein breakfast can help reduce food cravings and increase feelings of fullness, which can lead to reduced calorie intake and weight loss over time

Healthy blueberry & banana protein smoothie recipe

What protein powder to use?

Nothing could have prepared me for how complex and how difficult it is to find your perfect protein powder. Please drop me a message if you have found the one. I put this question out onto social media but it’s difficult to crowd-source this as everyone has different tastes.

I found one that is very good quality but I don’t love the artificial sweetener flavour in the product, so I will keep on trying. Most protein powders are only sold in larger packs which makes sampling very difficult.

You can choose between plant-based protein or animal (whey) protein and all research indicates that animal-based protein is just better. There are however very good plant-based protein powder options (pea protein) on the market.

I wanted a protein powder that was low in calories and high in protein so I opted for an artificially sweetened vanilla-flavoured powder. Vanilla is a more neutral flavour and could be included easily across multiple recipes.

I’m sure I will reach the stage where I keep a few flavours like chocolate and peanut butter to mix it up. I am still looking for a low-calorie, high-protein powder with zero flavour to add to savoury things.

Whilst I am still trying to find the perfect protein powder this is the advice I was given to help decide what protein powders are best:

Any 100% protein will be the lowest calorie-dense option. Take a look at the food label and look for approximately 20gm of protein per serving/scoop that is less than < 3 grams of carbohydrate. Look for around 120 calories per serving and you are good to go if you are wanting to restrict calories. If you are not wanting to restrict calories, these guidelines will not apply.

Ingredients in a KitchenAid blender to make a protein smoothie with banana and blueberry

What kind of blender do you use to make a smoothie?

I’m totally obsessed with my KitchenAid K400 Blender. Not only is it SO good-looking, but it’s also a workhorse and extremely powerful. I’m using it so often it has a permanent position in the prized real estate of my kitchen countertop space.

Designed to deliver perfect taste by transforming even the toughest ingredients into smooth textures and delicious flavours. It has a 1.4-litre capacity jug which is huge and comes in 14 colours.

Easy to use with 5 variable speed settings, the K400 has 3 preprogrammed settings including a pulse & ice-crushing setting and a self-cleaning one.

Like all KitchenAid appliances, they are more mechanical than digital which is far easier to operate and gives the appliance more longevity (less can go wrong).

In addition to its health benefits, this smoothie is also incredibly easy to make. With just five ingredients and a high-speed blender, you can whip up a delicious smoothie in no time.

A KitchenAid K400 blender on a tabe for a banana and blueberry protein smoothie recipe

A few tips and tricks for making smoothies

If you have any leftover smoothie mix, freeze these into giant blocks (large ice cube tray), and store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge or freezer for a quick and easy breakfast on the go.

With plenty of protein, essential vitamins, and natural sweetness, it’s the perfect healthy way to start your day. Plus, with so many ways to customize this recipe to fit your health goals and dietary preferences, it’s sure to become one of your favourite go-to smoothie recipes.

You could add more protein if you wanted a boost. You could use chocolate or peanut-flavoured protein powders here.

Blueberries are delicious in this recipe but you could use any berry of your choice or a combination of berries. Blueberries are a nutritious and delicious fruit that provide a range of health benefits when consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet.

I add acai berry powder to the mix because it’s an excellent source of antioxidants along with the blueberries, and it also gives smoothies an amazing colour. This is optional as it’s not an easy ingredient to source.

Here is the nutritional info for this recipe as a rough guide. Note if you use oat milk, it will have a higher carbohydrate and calorie count. If you are opting for any of the plant-based milk, opt for something like unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.

This smoothie makes 2 portions

basic nutritional information for healthy protein blueberry and banana smoothies

If you prefer your smoothie in a frozen format (especially good if you want to trick kids to eat the good things), you could freeze it as I did with this smoothie popsicle recipe.

Looking for ways to pack protein into your breakfast, you might like my healthy high protein cottage cheese waffles or my cottage cheese toast ideas (savoury and sweet)

Berry smoothie bowls with banana.

I absolutely love the flavours of this delicious blueberry banana smoothie for a healthy breakfast on the go.

Recipe – makes 2 smoothies

Prep Time:5

Ingredients

1 ripe medium banana
1 cup frozen blueberries I prefer this to fresh blueberries
1 cup Low fat fat-free or Greek yoghurt (use a vegan yoghurt if you are vegan)
1/2 cup fat-free milk or full cream milk or any dairy-free milk of your choice
1 scoop vanilla protein powder I use a whey protein powder that has 113 calories and 20grams of protein per scoop – if you are using unflavoured protein powder you can add vanilla extract
1 Tbs natural peanut butter or almond butter or other nut butter of your choice
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp flax meal or lightly milled flaxseeds
1 Tbsp acai berry powder optional

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to your Blender and blend until you have a smooth and creamy texture, adding more milk as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
If you prefer a thicker consistency, use a frozen banana. If you prefer a thinner smoothie, add more milk. And if you want to switch things up, try adding some healthy greens like spinach or kale for an extra boost of nutrients.

Notes

For a smoothie on the go, transport it in a sealed smoothie cup or mason jar.

This smoothie is best consumed immediately. It can be stored and consumed a day later but the texture will change as a result of the chia seeds absorbing water.

Servings: 2

Author: Sam Linsell