I’ve been on the smoothie train a lot lately for breakfast. My schedule is a bit erratic at the moment with looming deadlines, lots of travel and busy changing the food system activism (hello Subway!).
Planning my breakfast the night before and making sure my fridge is stocked with grab and go nutritious foods is now part of my regular routine that keeps my cravings in check and sets me up for successful healthy eating throughout the week.
The easiest way I have found to make sure this happens is to commit to making green smoothies at night (which can take 10 mins or less) but save me so much time and effort in the morning. Having something ready vs. having to make it – is the difference between success and failure.
When we are rushed, we might go for the easier less nutritious option but having green packed jars of goodness ready to sip from the fridge help tremendously with will power.
Eating a breakfast that is chock full of vitamins and minerals will not only make your body more alkaline and in a state to avoid disease but it will keep those pesky junk food cravings down for the rest of the day.
Hope you love this new breakfast smoothie as much as I do! It’s so filling, delicious and easy to make.
I found this breakfast smoothie idea in Deliciously Ella’s new book which has over 100 gluten free and plant based recipes. Ella sent me her book earlier this year and I’ve finally had the chance to dig in! Thanks Ella!
Food Babe's Avocado Berry Banana Breakfast Smoothie
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
0 mins
Total Time:
5 mins
Ingredients:
- ½ ripe avocado
- ½ ripe banana, frozen
- 1 cup nut milk
- ½ cup frozen berries
- ⅓ cup raw oats
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 medjool date, pitted
Instructions:
- Scoop the avocado flesh out of its skin, discarding the pit. Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Notes:
- If you don't have spinach, try romaine or another dark leafy green.
- Please choose all organic ingredients if possible
If you know someone who needs or loves to make breakfast smoothies full of nutrient dense fruits, vegetables and whole foods then please share this recipe with them.
Xo,
Vani
i always add some hemp protein powder in my smoothie. i definitely will add avocado too.
I love hemp 🙂
Interesting! You say about PB2 that it is not a whole food as the oils have been extracted and the rest is dried up. Same story with hemp protein – the oil is pressed out of the seed and the remaining seed meal sold as ‘protein’. So where do you draw the line??
Question: what form of oats? rolled oats? steel-cut? whole, and soaked?
thanks . . .
Rolled oats are good! Even steel cut if you’ve got a high powered blender.
Is it the instant or slow cooking oats you use?
Rolled oats are good! Even steel cut if you’ve got a high powered blender.
How long will this stay fresh? Just wondering if I can double it and have two days worth
48 hours
But I thought the good enzymes only lasted 20 minutes. I’ve even been afraid of freezing leftovers. Can you shed any light on the research around drinking these after being stored in the frig or freezer?
Some oats are not very digestible raw. What is the best type to use? Thanks.
Will these hold up to freezing and then thawing out again? Wondering if I can make a big batch but not sure if it will change the flavor/texture too much. Will freezing/thawing make the avocado brown or turn bitter?
Did I read that correctly that eating a more alkaline diet will help,keep my cravings in check? My cravings have been out of control lately. I’ve been so hungry that I can’t eat any dessert or I’d get big as a house. I hope this smoothie can help control my my spikey blood sugar. Being hyperglycemia makes you so hungry so I struggle because I hate feeling hungry all the time.
When I was like that I felt I had a candida overgrowth. I cut out all sugar and simple carbs for two weeks and took a high powered refrigerated probiotic from the health food store. I still limit grains and sugars to just a few days a week. Try eating a handful of nuts every few hours to stave off hunger. Now I crave fresh veggies!
Janet did you even cut out any or some fruit??? All I do is crave junk and sweets with lots of carbs then feel sick!
I too was battling candida overgrowth when my cravings for all things sugar, chocolate, carbs became out of control. Had to follow the anti-candida diet for almost 8 weeks to get my body back into balance. Apparently 1 in 3 have it and don’t even know it as it is often misdiagnosed or disguised by the many other health problems it can cause.
Do you actually blend it the night before or just prepare the ingredients and blend in the morning. Does the avocado brown?
The avocado does not brown, you can make it before or make it first thing in the morning – it’s really up to you and your time schedule 🙂
I’m not a big fan of avocado, but I know it is very useful. Adding it into a smoothie can definitely work for me. Thanks for the recipe!
I have always thought that smoothies must be drank (drunk?) immediately… Is it really okay to make them at night for the next day?
How do you store overnight? In fridge or in freezer?
Fridge (for 48 hours) or freezer (if you want to wait a few days to drink it)..
I’m just finishing my glass of this. It’s good and I like the addition of rolled oats that I’ve never put in a smoothie. I used a handful of spinach and another of kale. I added a teaspoon of hemp seeds, brewer’s yeast, propolis, and some dulse just because I had it. The berries I used were mostly frozen marion/black berries with a few raspberries. I had to add a bit of ginger tea water to get the blender to finish the greens. It came out a gorgeous purple, but after 20 minutes it’s turned a hot cocoa color with various shades of green, grey, purple and brown. Still tastes good, but I think I’d rather make it fresh every time, maybe just prepping everything the night before, keeping parts of it frozen, and the rest in the blender jar in the frig. Then in the morning blending it all together.
That’s quite the concoction! 🙂
This recipe sounds fine except I question the oats and I suggest instead of throwing away the pit put it in the smoothie. Pits aren’t rock hard and will crush easily and they have multitudes of health benefits!!! The pits are the most nutritious thing in this recipe.
I am never able to have smoothies just for breakfast in the morning because I an ravenous after about 2 hours. I decided to try this smoothie as a last ditch effort, as it seems the fat from the avocado and the fiber from the rest of the ingredients may hold me over ’til lunch…it worked! I held me over twice as long as any other smoothie I’ve had. I could tell that this smoothie was different in that it had so much more “bulk” than all of the other smoothie recipes I’ve tried.
As far as taste goes, I thought it was pretty good as a base smoothie but it needed something. I added 1/2 an apple and some chia seeds. Instead of the dates, and then some cinnamon.
I may try squirt of lemon juice next time, some cocoa powder for a more decadent smoothie. This recipe is definitely a keeper as you can tailor the flavor to your liking! Thanks Food Babe!
What is the nutrition info on this smoothie?
Sorry for a stupid question but I never used avocado…. Do you put it in skin and all because it does not sound appetizing if so…I was hoping someone else would ask and I could just read it! LOL
No, please remove the skin from the avocado (and the seed!).
Vani the avocado seed is packed with nutrition, especially fiber. A high speed blender can totally handle it too 🙂
Just wanted to mention that I’ve been putting avocados in smoothies and shakes for years. My younger son refused anything that he knew contained avocados, so I started making “monster milkshakes” (to explain the green tinge) when he was a toddler – as long as he saw me put in a scoop of vanilla ice cream, he was happy and unconcerned about the rest of the ingredients. Avocado is not used as a savory in much of the world – I first noticed avocado shakes in Asian countries & then back home in Vietnamese restaurants. It makes everything rich and tasty, but doesn’t really impart much flavor. Perfect for using all the time! As a side note, he is now aware of the avocado (and all my other “secret” ingredients!) and I love hearing him tell his friends that I make “the best milkshakes, but they’re full of really healthy things!”
What are Medjool dates? Just curious because I have never heard of them. Can you get them at a regular grocery store or do you get them from a health food store?
I get mine at Costco
I have been making smoothies for quite awhile now. I really love them made with water Mellon. I live in New Zealand and I can tell you that they have been using ANTIBIOTICS here for the last 4 or 5 years. Makes you think what other rubbish they put into our food. Cheers
Just read in local Idaho ( Sun Valley) newspaper that FDA approved GMO potato!
Supposed to prevent blight which killed,potatoes,in, previous years. Newhart do you think?
I thought it was bad for your gut to eat raw oats? And soaking beforehand is best? Do you have any research on this?
The question about the values of smoothies when you don’t drink them immediately was asked twice, but unfortunately not answered. I would like to ask it again. How much nutritional value do you lose when you put it in the fridge for one or two days?
Thanks for your response.
Jennifer Wade
Munich, Germany
Thanks fpr the recipe will try soooooon !
For those worried about soaking the oats, I would think if you use kefir, pima, yogurt, etc. as your milk base & leave it overnight that would break down the phytic acid.
I like to put chia seeds in my shakes as well. Adds some texture, and they blend well.
I have a tendency for high sugar I my body (not diabetic). Should I replace fruits like banana, pineapple in smoothies with any other fruit. Could you let me know which fruits and vegetables have to be avoided? Thanks
This sounds delish and can’t wait to make it! I like how you list greens other than spinach because for some people juicing and eating so much spinach isn’t too good for them if they have an oxalate issue. I want to comment as well on the berries because I use frozen cherries in my smoothies in place of berries. You can buy a huge bag of organic cherries at Costco and they’re fabulous in smoothies and other recipes!
Rolled oats are great in a smoothie…
I hate to say this but your picture is misleading. There is no way you are following the recipe above and coming out with what’s in the picture. I’ve made smoothies for years and just followed your recipe exactly except I added only 1/2 cup spinach, knowing that the 2 cups listed would be more than what I normally like. Not even close, a very unappetizing color, which I don’t mind, but clearly above you must have taken the photo without the 2 cups of spinach. And leaving it overnight causes it to oxidize and become even darker. Next time make sure you’re being honest with readers.
I was thinking the same thing; about the picture, recipe, and color. I’ll be honest, I did not make this, but from years of experience in making smoothies, I can tell you if you make this recipe it will be greenish brown, not pink.
Avocado it’s not one of my favorites… but I guess adding it to a smoothie will do the trick 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration.
Made this just a few minutes ago. I doubled the recipe and shared it with my boys (4 and 2). I added a little bit of cocoa powder, chia seeds and a few more medjool dates to keep my boys interested in drinking it. IT IS DELICIOUS! I don’t care about the color of the smoothie not looking exactly like the picture. I have no idea why anyone would really give a crap about that. Honestly I think the color has everything to do with how long you blend the ingredients together. Mine looked like the picture after a few pulses and before I added the cocoa powder. ANYWAY, The healthy ingredients and what they are doing for my body and my boys is all that really matter to me! THANK YOU! Will be trying your hummus and ginger cookie recipes next.
Don’t have frozen bananas. Will the ripe ones on my counter work as well?