Creamy “Banana Bread” Smoothie - Rich in Omega-3s!

This ultra creamy banana smoothie is inspired by the flavors of banana bread. Imagine that classic banana bread flavor with warming spices, vanilla, and Medjool dates for extra sweetness and flavor depth. Plus it’s loaded with omega-3 rich foods like walnuts and flaxseed! Delicious & easy to make, this smoothie is full of nutritious whole food ingredients, is naturally-sweetened, and as always, 100% vegan - try it today!

I love all plant foods, but I’ll be the first to admit that there are a few select foods that hold an *extra* special status in my heart. Chief among that group are BANANAS. Given that 1) not a day goes by without me eating bananas, and 2) this website’s logo is literally a bunch of bananas, I don’t think it’s very hard to figure out that bananas are one of my all-time favorite foods. But just in case this website’s logo didn’t already give that away, now you know. 😂

While I generally use bananas as a base ingredient for smoothies to make them creamy and sweet, it’s about time (or even overdue?) that bananas got their very own smoothie where they can fully shine as the primary ingredient. They’re too delicious not to! Admittedly, this smoothie wasn’t strictly my idea - it was actually my husband Nick’s. Nick made us a banana bread-inspired smoothie, and I loved the concept so much that I kiiiinda stole the idea, tweaked it, and made it my own. The result is this version of a banana bread smoothie that’s naturally-sweetened, loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, and just an absolute delight in the flavor department - all while being super simple and easy to make!

Why You’ll Love this Smoothie

Inspired by the flavors of banana bread. Just like any good banana bread, this smoothie is loaded with bananas (for its namesake banana flavor, obviously), with an added Medjool date for extra flavor depth and sweetness, plus some warming vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg to give it that signature “banana bread-y” taste. To top things off, this smoothie even adds in walnuts (another banana bread classic) to help thicken the smoothie and balance it with some healthy fats (more on that below).

Made with nutritious whole foods. Smoothies are magical ✨ because they’re one of the easiest and tastiest ways to load up on whole foods (or, at least, they can be depending on what’s in them)! Nearly every ingredient in this smoothie is a whole food (primarily walnuts, bananas, flax, and dates). So while your taste buds are feasting on the delicious flavors of this banana bread smoothie, your gut bugs will be feasting on the fiber, nutrients, and vitamins packed inside all those wholesome ingredients!

Naturally sweetened. Perhaps I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to avoiding adding sweeteners (i.e. maple syrup, sugar, etc.) into smoothies, but it’s simply because I don’t see a need for them when you can use naturally sweet fruit instead. You just can’t beat using ingredients (like Medjool dates!) that are both delicious and sweeten the smoothie while also adding fiber and nutrients!

Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. While we’re on the topic of nutrients, this smoothie’s got not one, but two (!) of the most omega-3 rich foods in it: flaxseeds and walnuts! And if you’re thinking to yourself, “so what?”, here’s the basic gist on why this matters. Omega-3 fatty acids are very important for healthy brain function/cognition and healthy cell function and are “essential” nutrients, meaning that our bodies can’t produce them, so we need to intake them through our food.

The good news is that it’s quite easy to fulfill your daily omega-3 needs with plant foods. For example, all you need to fulfill your daily needs is a serving of ground flaxseeds (defined as 1 tablespoon/day for women; 2 tablespoons/day for men) OR some walnuts (9 halves/day for women; 14 halves/day for men.) (*Source: The Proof Is In the Plants by Simon Hill, p. 308.) So this smoothie will either cover your daily omega-3 needs or at least get you most of the way there!

Creamy. There are juicy and icy smoothies, and then there are creamy smoothies - and this one’s most definitely creamy. As I recently discovered after drinking a berry banana smoothie from a cafe in Austin that wasn’t creamy, I am absolutely, 100% #TeamCreamy.

Always in season! Just like how banana bread hits the spot year round, there isn’t a time of the year when this smoothie isn’t in season! I particularly like it in the winter and spring as it brightens up those dreadfully cold and dark days, but it would make a delicious and refreshing treat in the summer! And in the fall, it could be a nice break if you, like me, have found yourself overdosing on pumpkin smoothies. 😂

Ingredient Overview

Frozen ripe bananas. The base of our smoothie! Bananas infuse the smoothie with its namesake banana flavor while also sweetening the smoothie and making it ultra creamy. And if you need even more reasons to love them, bananas are a great source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6 and C! (As Nicholas Braun (better known as Cousin Greg in HBO’s Succession!) said in the Uber eats commercial (i.e. one of 2-3 commercials I’ve ever liked), “Bananas? Eats. Every morning.” He gets it!!)

Non-dairy milk. Any plant milk works, so feel free to use your favorite! As I mentioned in the post for my chocolate cherry smoothie, I typically use soy milk in smoothies because it’s an easy way to up their protein content! Even though I’m not a fan of the flavor of unsweetened soy milk on its own, you can’t taste it in smoothies, and it adds anywhere from 8-12 grams of protein per cup (depending on the brand). An easy swap for a big nutrition win, if you’re looking for an easy way to increase protein intake!

Medjool date. To further sweeten the smoothie without using any added sweeteners and give it flavor depth that complements the banana quite beautifully! And unlike added sweeteners, which are just pure sugar, dates are a whole food, so they actually contain fiber and nutrients like vitamin B6, potassium, and copper. (And they’re delicious!)

Walnuts. To help thicken the smoothie and add in some healthy fats! Unlike most nuts, which are hard (almonds, cashews, peanuts, etc.), walnuts are quite soft, so they’ll break down completely when blended. This means you can use them in their raw form (as opposed to having to buy or make a walnut butter beforehand like you’d need to do with almond butter, peanut butter, etc.)! In terms of nutrients, walnuts are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for healthy brain function (see above), and did you know that walnuts have the highest concentration of antioxidants of any nuts?! Plus walnuts are also particularly rich in ALA (alpha-linoleic acid), which is beneficial for heart health. Just a few more reasons to love these delicious nuts!

Ground flaxseed. For a nutrition boost of fiber, protein, and loads of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, while also helping to thicken the smoothie a bit more.

Ice. For texture, as ice further thickens the smoothie while also cooling it down more.

Vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. To take this from a “banana” smoothie to a “banana bread” smoothie by infusing those warm and comforting banana bread flavors!

The ingredients are quite simple and they make a pretty nutritious and tasty smoothie. So without any further delay, let’s make it!