Banana Oat Smoothie - A Simple, Smart Portable Breakfast Option

Breakfast can be one of the most overlooked meals of the day.  More thought, time and energy invariably goes into the other main meals of the day, while breakfast often receives little attention.  Perhaps this is because we are so time poor in the mornings.  Frequently eaten on the run, breakfast is often little more than a coffee or pastry grabbed on the way out the door. 

Establishing good eating habits is our passport to good health and it starts with breakfast. There’s a reason why it’s the most important meal of the day. It recharges the body’s motor after the previous night’s long fast and helps to eliminate nutrient shortages. If you regularly skip breakfast, it’s much harder to make up for those missed nutrients later in the day.  Instead use this opportunity to increase your daily vitamin and mineral intake.

If your morning routine consists of cereal with milk, topped with some fruit, then consider combining all this into a banana oat smoothie filled with nuts, grains, fruit and yogurt.  Smoothies are the ideal morning pick-me-up.  Not only are they quick and easy to make and can be sipped on the run, but offer great opportunities to keep your oats interesting.  Everything from berries, stone fruits, apples, bananas, peanut butter, dates and spices can be thrown into your blender for a never ending variety of different flavors.

Banana Oat Smoothie with Peanut Butter

Ingredients

1 large frozen banana
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter

How to Make

Combine the frozen banana, rolled oats, Greek yogurt, almond milk and peanut butter and blend until smooth.

Pour into your favorite serving glasses and enjoy.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie

Ingredients

1 frozen banana
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ avocado
½ cup oatmeal
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon cacao

How to Make

Whizz together the frozen banana, Greek yogurt, avocado, oatmeal, almond milk, peanut butter and cacao until smooth.

Serve sprinkled with nuts.

Spicy Banana Apple Smoothie

Ingredients

1 frozen banana
1 apple, peeled and cored
½ - 1 cups almond milk
½ cup yogurt
½ cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Medjool dates
½ teaspoon cardamom

How to Make

Place the frozen banana, apple, almond milk, yogurt, rolled oats, grated ginger, cinnamon, vanilla extract, dates and cardamom into your blender.  Blend on high until everything is well mixed and thick and creamy.

This makes two small glasses.

Banana Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients

1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons cashew butter
½ cup oatmeal
½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup coconut milk
½ teaspoon chai seasoning

How to Make

Blend together frozen banana, cashew butter, oatmeal, vanilla yogurt, coconut milk and chai seasoning until velvety smooth and creamy.

Pour into two glasses and enjoy.

More Smoothies to Try