No-Banana Smoothie Recipes

(What? You don't serve your smoothies decorated with rubber duckies?)

(I had way too much fun making this picture)

(It was too boring before, because food photography is hard)

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I'm in a better mood than yesterday, so let's all get happy about that! And now for the smoothies.

I like the flavors of many fruits with textures I don’t like, so I often eat fruit in the form of smoothies. Finding good existing recipes can be a struggle for me, though, because people seem determined to include bananas whenever possible. I like bananas, but I don’t like blended bananas. So here, have some smoothie recipes I’ve developed to suit my own preferences.

I can’t guarantee that no one else has ever created similar recipes, but I came up with these on my own. Feel free to adjust them to suit your preferences. All of these recipes make a good-sized single serving, or two small servings. You can double them if you want more; it's possible that a triple batch would fit in a very large blender. Ideally, you put the frozen things in first, and then add the liquid and other ingredients after that.

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Berry Orange with Stealth Spinach (pictured above)

• 1/2 C frozen blueberries 
• 1/2 C spinach leaves
• 1/4 C frozen raspberries 
• 1/8 C orange juice concentrate
• 1/8 t ginger or cinnamon (optional)
• 3/4 C water

Put these things in a blender and blend them! You will not taste the spinach.

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Looks Green, Tastes Orange

1 C frozen mango
1 to 2 C spinach leaves
1/4 C orange juice concentrate
1/4 t ginger (optional but I strenuously recommend it)
1 C water to start; add more water by increments of 1/4 C until it’s the consistency you want.

Blend it! The spinach may add some light flavor, especially if you use 2 C, but in a good way.

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Bonus optional ingredient: chia seeds! If you want to bump up the nutritional value of smoothies that use water, soak 1 to 2 T of any color of chia seeds in the water for 15 minutes before making the smoothie. Stir them up once or twice if you get the chance. This will create a gel that enhances the texture of the smoothie while adding protein and iron, among other good things, but you won't notice the seeds as you drink it.

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Chocolavacado

1 C frozen avocado chunks
1 to 2 T cacao powder. Using 2 will give it a less sweet, more dark chocolate flavor.
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 C unsweetened almond milk, or whatever kind of milk you prefer
1/4 t cinnamon if you’re feeling it
1 T maple syrup, or sweeten to taste with your preferred sweetener.

Blend! The texture of this smoothie is indistinguishable from a milkshake, but it has less sugar, fewer calories, healthier fat, and more vitamins and other good plant-based stuff, especially if you make it with a non-dairy milk.