This banana cinnamon smoothie is a healthy blend of delicious ingredients and cozy flavours. It’s also very quick and easy to make with just a few simple, wholesome ingredients.
In addition to being a perfect pairing, banana and cinnamon have many health benefits, making this smoothie super healthy as well as delicious.
Other than the banana and cinnamon, this recipe also calls for some protein-rich ingredients, giving this smoothie quite a high protein content. You can even treat this smoothie as a protein shake and toss in a scoop of protein powder!
As an added bonus: even though this smoothie tastes like dessert, there is no added sugar in it (the banana provides all the sweetness you need)!
Here’s how to make this tasty and healthy banana cinnamon smoothie!
How to Make a Banana Cinnamon Smoothie
Step 1: Gather ingredients
Banana – As one of the main components of this smoothie, the banana is the only fruit and source of sweetness really, so make sure to use ripe bananas for maximum sweetness. You’ll also want to use frozen banana to ensure a thick and cold drink.
See this post on how to freeze bananas for smoothies.
Cinnamon – The other star of the show is, of course, cinnamon, which brings a lovely cozy touch and some amazing health benefits to the smoothie.
Nuts – A wonderful nutty flavour perfectly elevates the banana and cinnamon flavour combination. Woody nuts like walnuts and pecans are best for this banana cinnamon smoothie. Alternatively, instead of fresh nuts (if you don’t have them on hand), you can try a spoon of a nut butter such as almond butter. Just like the fresh nuts, almond butter will add that creaminess, nutty flavour, and high protein content.
Milk – This is the base of the smoothie. We use milk because we want this smoothie to be creamy; milk gives the smoothie a slightly creamier base than water or juice. We are going to be adding yogurt as well, so it’s nice to start with a dairy base. You can use any milk of your choice.
Yogurt – We’re also going to pair the milk with yogurt, to make the smoothie even thicker and creamier. You’ll want plain, unsweetened yogurt, either regular or Greek. I like Greek yogurt the best because it has the thickest, smoothest, and creamiest texture ever, which automatically elevates any smoothie. Greek yogurt is also very high in protein, and it doesn’t have as sour a taste as regular (plain and unsweetened) yogurt does.
Vanilla extract – This is the final touch that adds to that dessert-like feel. Vanilla goes wonderfully with plain yogurt and milk, as well as the banana, cinnamon, and nut flavours. All you need is a splash!
Step 2: Blend!
Blend on high for about 30-60 seconds, until everything is thoroughly incorporated and smooth.
Pour into glasses, and enjoy!
Banana Cinnamon Smoothie Benefits
Banana is such a great ingredient for healthy smoothies because it is naturally sweet – this means no added sugar is necessary. Banana offers nutritional benefits such as fibre, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and more.
Cinnamon contains many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. Additionally, cinnamon may also display antimicrobial and even antidiabetic properties. Some studies suggest that cinnamon may help improve glycemic and lipid profiles of individuals with type 2 diabetes.
The addition of nuts makes this smoothie very healthy. Nuts, such as walnuts and pecans, are high in healthy fats and protein, as well as important vitamins and minerals.
The milk and yogurt add a ton of protein to the smoothie, especially when you use Greek yogurt (~12g of protein in 1/2 cup of yogurt!).
They also add healthy fats and nutrients like calcium and vitamin B12, as well as probiotics from the yogurt!
There you have it! Enjoy this smoothie as a healthy dessert or even a post-workout shake, and feel free to add in your favourite protein powder for an extra protein boost if you’d like!
Give this cozy, delicious, and healthy banana cinnamon smoothie recipe a try, and let me know how you like it in the comments below!
Banana Cinnamon Smoothie
This banana cinnamon smoothie is a healthy blend of delicious ingredients and cozy flavours. It's quick and easy to make with just a few wholesome ingredients. Enjoy this smoothie as a healthy dessert or even a post-workout protein shake!
Ingredients
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened, Greek yogurt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1/4 cup oats
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender (frozen ingredients added last).
- Blend until smooth (about 30-60 seconds).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can add a scoop of protein powder if you wish - vanilla and chocolate flavoured protein powders both work well with this smoothie!