Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie
Start your morning off with a Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie made with 5 simple ingredients and ready in just 5 minutes. Enjoy it as a side with a breakfast bowl or on its own.
If you’ve been hanging out on Choosing Chia for a while you probably know I have a love for smoothies. I make them almost daily and love creating a variety of different smoothie recipes packed with fresh fruits, veggies and superfoods.
This Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie recipe is simple and perfect for when you want a classic smoothie combination that everyone will love. (Both kids and adults!) I love adding chia seeds to my smoothies not only for their nutritional benefits but also because they help to thicken up a smoothie and give it a really nice texture.
Benefits of chia seeds
Tip: Want to learn more about chia? Check out my Ultimate Guide To Chia Seeds!
Chia seeds are considered to be a “superfood” because they are packed with so many nutrients in one tiny little seed. For this reason, they are AMAZING to add to smoothies and will also help to keep you feeling more full and satiated. Here are some of the main benefits:
- High in Fibre
- High in Omega-3 fatty acids
- Rich in protein
- Can help to keep you feeling full
- Promotes healthy digestion
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Only 5 simple ingredients. Unlike some other smoothie combiations, this one is made with just 5 ingredients that are easy to find. You can use fresh or frozen fruit to make it even easier.
- Customizable. One thing I love about this smoothie is you can use the recipe as a “base” and customize it however you like. Add in some protein powder, nut butters or swap out for another fruit you like.
- Nutrient dense. Each serving of this smoothie has 7 grams of fibre and 5 grams of protein in it!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Strawberries: I love using fresh strawberries for this smoothie becuase I find they have a much stronger tate than frozen strawberries. If you don’t have fresh strawberries avaiable you can alwayd use frozen ones.
- Banana: I like my bananas when they’re completley yellow. If you use a riper banana the smoothie will have a stronger banana taste, so use your prefered ripeness.
- Yogurt: I like to use greek yogurt that is packed with protein, but you can use any yogurt you like. To make it vegan, use a non-dairy yogurt like coconut yogurt.
- Chia seeds: the star of the show! You can use light or dark chia seeds. They’re both the same, just a different colour.
- Almond milk: or any other type of milk or plant-based milk you like.
Tip: make your own frozen fruit by freezing fresh strawberries and bananas. “Homemade” frozen fruit will be more flavorful than the pre-packaged one at the grocery store.
How to make a chia seed smoothie
Step 1
Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender. It’s best to layer the liquid ingredients on the bottom, followed by yogurts, nut butter and seeds, and then fresh fruit and frozen fruit on top. If you like to add ice cubes to your smoothies, add them on top.
Step 2
Blend until smooth and creamy, then pour into a glass a serve. It’s best to start your blender on low for the first 5 seconds or so, then to put it on high to incorporate everything together.
Recipe variations
There are SO many ways you can vary this recipe to mix it up and make it your own. Here are some variations and add-ins you can try out:
Make it high-protein: add in some extra yogurt or a scoop of your favourite protein powder. I get mine from sprout living. You can use my promo code “choosingchia” to save 20%. This can add 19-26 grams of extra protein to your smoothie!
Mix up the fruit: swap out strawberries for any berries you like or add in a variety of mixed fruits! This smoothie would be great with some tropical fruits like mango or pineapple.
Make it nutty: a scoop of almond butter or peanut butter is delicious in smoothies and will help keep you feeling full! Try adding 1 tbsp of your favourite nut butter per serving.
Make it keto: to make this into a keto-friendly chia seed smoothie, swap out the frozen banana for 1 cup of frozen cauliflower.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- For easy blending, add the almond milk to the blender first, followed by the yogurt and chia seeds, and then fruit on top. Adding the liquid to a blender first will help it blend everything together more easily.
- Use frozen banana. This will help to thicken the smoothie and also make it creamy.
- Drink within 10 minutes of making. Chia seeds are very absorbent and will thicken the smoothie more as it sits, so it’s best to drink this smoothie right after making it.
- Adjust the amount of liquid to your prefence. Depending on your personal taste, and if you use frozen vs. fresh fruit, you may need to add more or less almond milk to blend the smoothie to your desired texture. It’s always best to start with slightly less and then add more as needed.
FAQ
Yes, you can. The chia seeds will naturally absorb some of the liquid from the smoothie they are sitting in and plump up slightly. If you prefer not to have full chia seeds in your smoothie you can also use ground chia.
There’s no need to! Chia seeds can just be added directly to the smoothie.
This smoothie is best enjoyed right away. If you make it too far ahead of time it can become very thick because the chia seeds will absorb the liquid in the smoothie.
If you’re not a fan of bananas (or just don’t have any on hand) the best substitute to use is frozen mango cubes. You can also make this smoothie low-sugar with added veggies by using frozen cauliflower.
This smoothie is a great and healthy option for weight loss. The chia seeds and the yogurt in the smoothie will help keep you feeling full, so you won’t be as tempted to snack all morning.
More smoothie recipes to try
- Strawberry Mango Smoothie
- Banana Bread Smoothie
- Acai Smoothie
- Simple Green Smoothie
- Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
If you tried this Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!
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Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 smoothie 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
All you need is 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to make this healthy and delicious Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie!
Ingredients
- 1 banana, frozen
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/3 cup yogurt of choice (greek, dairy-free etc.)
- 1/3 cup almond milk
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Notes
For easy blending, add the almond milk to the blender first, followed by the yogurt and chia seeds, and then fruit on top. Adding the liquid to a blender first will help it blend everything together more easily.
Use frozen banana. This will help to thicken the smoothie and also make it creamy.
Drink within 10 minutes of making. Chia seeds are very absorbent and will thicken the smoothie more as it sits, so it’s best to drink this smoothie right after making it.
Adjust the amount of liquid to your preference. Depending on your personal taste, and if you use frozen vs. fresh fruit, you may need to add more or less almond milk to blend the smoothie to your desired texture. It’s always best to start with slightly less and then add more as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass
- Calories: 225
- Sugar: 24g
- Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 5g
