It's been hot in NJ friends. Scorchingly hot. How did this happen so quickly? It was just 50 degrees like 2 weeks ago. Today it will be 90. Ouch.
So.
The only way I get through my 10 block walk to work in the morning without arriving as a hot mess is to keep a cold beverage with me at all times. It's chilled and delicious to boot. It makes me happy while...perspiration...is pouring down my face. I used to go straight to the iced coffee.
But the {only} problem with that is...it's not as fulfilling, not as healthy and bottom line...just not as good as a blended smoothie (ok, so I have my coffee when I arrive at the office instead...). I find smoothies to be so refreshing and rejuvenating in the morning and it's become my favorite go-to morning beverage and breakfast.
So pardon my excitement over this banana bread smoothie. It really just started by combining a few ingredients in the hopes of making a tasty yet filling smoothie that could double as breakfast for my on-the-go mornings. And then I realized that it was not only tasty and filling...but kind of tasted like banana bread. And so, friends, I'm hooked on this smoothie. It's like dessert in a cup, except that it's good for me. I should be drinking it. Could it get any better?
Though it's not all that different than my favorite green monster, this version just tastes more like banana bread, rather than like straight banana. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I hope you'll give it a try. After all, I've been dreaming about this smoothie, jumping out of bed so that I can have it in the morning. In fact, today I may even make a double batch and bring half to work for lunchtime. It's that good.
Banana Bread Smoothie
1 C unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1 large banana
1/4 C quick cooking oats
1 scoop creamy nut butter
1/2-1 scoop vanilla protein powder
splash of vanilla extract
dash of ground cinnamon
sweetener, to taste (I used 1 packet of Splenda)
In a large glass measuring cup, bowl or blender, combine the milk and oats and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the peanut butter...
...banana
...protein powder
...and sweetener, vanilla and cinnamon. Blend well in a blender or with an immersion blender. Pour over a tall glass of ice.
Slurp slowly and enjoy!
The protein powder and peanut butter make this smoothie creamy, while the banana and oats give it tons of flavor and texture. Be sure to blend the heck out of it so that the oats are pulverized (letting them sit in the milk first will help in softening them!) and the smoothie is, well, smooth.
So what do you think? What's your favorite morning beverage? How do you stay cool in the mornings?