Thick Strawberry Banana Smoothie

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A straw-bending strawberry banana smoothie built the way good juice bars do it: everything frozen except the liquid, so there's no ice to water down the flavor. Frozen banana coins do the creamy heavy lifting, Greek yogurt adds body and a little tang, and a pinch of salt plus a squeeze of lime make the strawberries taste twice as ripe. Blends in under two minutes and pours thick enough to stand a spoon in.

Ingredients

• 2 very ripe bananas, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch coins and frozen solid
• 2 1/2 cups frozen strawberries (about 12 oz), halved if very large
• 1/2 cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup whole milk, plus more as needed (or oat milk)
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup, or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

• 2 tbsp rolled oats (for extra thickness and staying power)
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 4 fresh strawberries and mint sprigs, for garnish

Instructions

1. Freeze the bananas at least 4 hours ahead (overnight is better): peel, slice into 1/2-inch coins, spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined plate or sheet pan, and freeze until hard. Loose coins blend far more smoothly than a whole frozen banana and won't stall your blender.
2. Pull the frozen strawberries out of the freezer and let them sit on the counter for 5 minutes while you set up. A few minutes of temper keeps the blades from just spinning against a solid brick of fruit.
3. Load the blender in this order: milk first, then lime juice, honey, vanilla, salt, and Greek yogurt, followed by the frozen strawberries and the frozen banana coins on top. Liquid on the bottom is what lets the vortex start; frozen fruit on top gets pushed down into it.
4. Blend on low for 15 to 20 seconds just to break up the fruit, then ramp to high and blend 45 to 60 seconds, using the tamper or stopping to scrape down the sides once. Stop as soon as it's smooth — over-blending warms the mix and thins it out.
5. Check the texture. It should be thick enough that it barely moves when you tilt the jar. If the blender is straining or you see unblended chunks, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time (no more than 1/4 cup total) and pulse. If it came out too loose, add 3 or 4 more frozen banana coins and blend 15 seconds.
6. Taste and adjust: another teaspoon of honey if your strawberries were pale, or a few more drops of lime if it tastes flat. Pour into two chilled 16-oz glasses, garnish with a fresh strawberry and mint, and serve immediately with wide straws.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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