Creamy, refreshing, and satisfying, these Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothies are a delicious breakfast treat! Add fresh mint and ginger for a fun twist!
Last weekend, I found myself one Christmas cookie away from an uncomfortable breakup with my jeans. All of those holiday indulgences were delicious, but like many of us, I resolved to start the New Year on a lighter note.
Frozen fruit smoothies are a great way to add fruit to your diet, especially when fresh produce isn’t at its peak. I like to add fresh mint leaves and ginger to these Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothies, for a fun, refreshing, and satisfying twist on a classic.
Smoothies always make me feel like a kid again. My mother and I often made fruit and yogurt smoothies for an after school treat in the 80’s and early 90’s. The base of this recipe has been my “go-to” ever since then.
Back in the day, Greek yogurt wasn’t readily available in the US, so we always used plain yogurt in our smoothies. They were delicious, but once the Greek yogurt craze hit, I started making the substitution and haven’t looked back.
Low-fat Greek yogurt is a wonderful natural protein source. It also adds extra creaminess and a light tang to smoothies that balances the sweetness of the fruit well. I absolutely love it.
Fresh ginger and mint leaves are optional add-ins to this smoothie, but I think they’re a really lovely addition to the classic strawberry-banana pairing.
I started adding ginger and mint to my smoothies after visiting a local juice bar that favors both of these ingredients in many of their blends. I prefer not to be heavy-handed with them in smoothies; just a touch of each as supporting flavors. The mint brings brightness to the sweet fruit, while the ginger wakes up the smoothie with a hint of spice in the background that’s present, but not overly assertive.
I love my smoothies frosty-cold and just thick enough to drink though a large straw. In most smoothie recipes, I find that using a least a portion of frozen fruit results in the best texture and flavor. Using all fresh fruit will create a thinner consistency, which is often chilled and thickened by adding ice to the blender.
When using frozen fruit, there’s no need to add ice, yielding a thick smoothie with a rich fruit flavor. Freezing your own fruit at home is easy and a great way to savor the best of your local farmers’ market’s pickings year-round.
It’s an especially welcome taste of summer in my kitchen once December’s festivities end and the cold winter months set in!
More recipes on the lighter side:
Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa
Baked Flour Tortilla Chips
Vanilla Almond Milk
Cherry Almond Granola
Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie
Creamy, refreshing, and satisfying, these Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothies are a delicious breakfast treat! Add fresh mint and ginger for a fun twist!
Ingredients
- 1 to 1-1/2 cups orange or pineapple juice
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cups cleaned and frozen strawberries (unsweetened, about 8.5 ounces weighed)
- 1 banana , sliced
- 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger (optional), peeled
- 1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh mint leaves (optional)
- honey or agave for sweetening (optional, if your berries are particularly tart)
Instructions
- Place 1 cup juice, yogurt, strawberries, banana, ginger, and mint in a blender in the order listed, and blend until smooth and creamy.* Add additional juice to thin, if needed, to reach your desired smoothie consistency. If desired, add sweetener to taste, blending to combine. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
*I use my Vitamix high speed blender for smoothies, increasing the speed to 8 and using the tamper, if needed, for about 30-40 seconds total blending time.
Using frozen strawberries makes the thickest, most velvety smoothies. I like to wash and pre-portion my strawberries into zip-top freezer bags the day I bring them home from the market, making morning smoothie-making a breeze! (Slice very large strawberries in half.)
I use fresh bananas here, but if you like an extra-thick smoothie, sliced frozen bananas are fantastic (you might need to add additional juice).
I love the brightness and hint of spice that fresh mint and ginger lend to the recipe, but they're easy to omit if you prefer a more traditional smoothie.
Huub Ricardo says
I love your photo’s!!! Two thumbs up!! and the smoothie looks delicious also.
Amanda {Striped Spatula} says
Thanks so much, Huub! I actually shot this recipe twice because I hated my first round of photos. :) So, I especially appreciate your compliment!
Rutuja Bhagwat says
I’m wondering how ginger and mint tasted in a milk-based smoothie! Would love to try! x
http://www.theprettycitygirl.com/
Amanda {Striped Spatula} says
Thanks, Rutuja! I use only a touch of both, so it’s just a hint of spice in the background of the smoothie. I think it makes the classic smoothie a little more interesting and refreshing. :) Hope you give it a try!
Shannon says
That sounds absolutely delicious and looks amazing! I’m trying to get back to my eating routine to hopefully off balance all the indulging from last month! This definitely needs to be added to my list!
Shannon
Clothes & Quotes
Amanda {Striped Spatula} says
I hear you! Way too many cookies for comfort last month, haha. It feels good to be eating a little lighter right now. Hope you enjoy the smoothies!
Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah says
Love the addition of ginger! And beautiful photos, too :D
Amanda {Striped Spatula} says
Thanks so much, Chrisy!
Kari says
What a delicious and healthy way to start the week!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Amanda {Striped Spatula} says
Thanks so much, Kari!
Christine | Vermilion Roots says
I am intrigued by the mint and ginger in this smoothie recipe. Love both but never had them together in a drink. I must try it!
Amanda {Striped Spatula} says
Hope you enjoy it, Christine! I find that just a hint of both ingredients wake up the tastebuds a bit. I really hadn’t used them together much until I had them at that juice bar and was instantly a fan. A good combo for when I’m trying to wake up in the morning! haha.
January says
Oh this a great! I can’t wait to whip this up for breakfast tomorrow!!
xoxo
January
http://www.thebouncyponytail.com/
Leah says
I love the combination of flavors in the smoothie! Yum!
Sola says
You had me a strawberry and kept me drooling with ginger and mint. I got a Nutribullet for Christmas and have been smoothie obsessed ever since. I can’t wait to add this to my weekly smoothie rotation.
Tara says
This looks awesome! I love the idea of adding mint. What a treat.
Chelsea says
I never thought to add mint or ginger to a smoothie, but I love both so I’m definitely trying next time!
Denay DeGuzman says
First, I must say that your photo is crisp, clean and beautiful! Your strawberry banana smoothie looks scrumptious. I love your suggestion about adding fresh mint leaves and a touch of honey. I hadn’t thought of doing that before. Thanks so much for sharing a healthy, refreshing recipe. It’s definitely one that my husband and I will try. :-)
Amanda Butler says
This sounds delicious! Pinning for later. Thank you for sharing.
Ruthie says
I really am interested to what the mint and ginger combo will be like!! Looks amazing. Cant wait to try. Beautiful photgraphy, btw!!
Amber says
This looks seriously amazing!! I know what I’ll be making tomorrow. :)
Lindsey | Lou Lou Biscuit says
Oh my gosh these flavors sound so refreshing and delicious together! I’ve been really enjoying smoothie as part of that healthy New Years attitude, and I definitely want to add this to the list. Gorgeous photos!
Shadi says
Love the addition of ginger, it makes everything tastier!
Chrystie says
I’ve never thought to add Ginger to my smoothies! I make them at least a couple times a week, and think that I need to try your recipe next time!
Kristina Padgett says
I have been having the biggest cravings for smoothies lately. I’m definitely going to use this recipe! It looks so good! Thanks for sharing :)
reesa says
These photos are just beautiful. Never thought to add ginger and mint to this classic, but I bet it adds a delicious twist!
Molly Kumar says
That looks super yum and I love adding mints to my smoothies, it gives them so much more taste.
Rebecca says
Looks yummy! Yesterday was the start of my get fit day, and now here I am not doing so great today. This is motivating enough to go make myself a smoothie!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
I love the idea of freezing my own fruit! This smoothie looks so refreshing. I wouldn’t have thought to add the mint & ginger to this flavor, but it sounds fabulous! Great idea – thanks!
Deepika@EasyBabyMeals says
This is a very delicious recipe. Loved the pictures too. :)
Amy Nash says
So, I definitely overindulged this Easter weekend and was looking for something refreshing and lighter to have for breakfast and this definitely fits the bill! Love the addition of ginger!