Apple Banana Smoothie with Almond Butter and Coconut Flakes

I have an embarrassing confession to make. I didn’t like peanut butter until college.

That’s right, I spent the first 20 some odd years of my life avoiding peanut butter, almond butter, and [insert any other nut butter here] like the plague.

My mom tried everything. She really did. Surely I’d like the classic kid favorite, peanut butter & jelly? Nope. Banana and peanut butter? No thanks. Bumps on a log? Gross. Peanut butter on a bagel? Why ruin a perfectly good New York bagel?!

And then all of a sudden, everything changed one fateful night in college. I was at Boston College’s Relay For Life, and my roommates made me a delicious PB&J. I don’t know whether it was because I was starving or sleep-deprived, but man. That. Sandwich. Was. EVERYTHING!

And it’s safe to say I’ve made up for my nut butter-deprived childhood and then some… I could very happily (and often do) eat almond butter by the spoonful.

Anyway, this apple banana smoothie with almond butter reminds me of what I imagine a normal childhood tastes like: apples and nut butter, with a hint of sweetness from the coconut flakes and a very sneaky serving of rich, leafy greens.

Apple Banana Smoothie with Almond Milk

Plus, like most of the smoothies I publish here on my blog, it’s super easy to make and it’s elimination diet-friendly.  Here’s how to do it!

First, grab all of your ingredients — apple, banana, almond butter, coconut flakes, and kale — and throw them into a blender.

Apple Banana Smoothie with Almond Milk, Almond Butter, Kale ingredients in a blender

Turn that blender ON!  Start with a lower speed until the biggest chunks have been blended…Apple Banana Smoothie with Almond Milk, Almond Butter, Kale and Coconut Flakes

And then turn the blender up to the highest speed for 30-60 seconds to make sure everything is smoothly blended together.

Blending up this healthy, fruity and protein-filled smoothie

The next step (and this is real important) is to pour the smoothie into a glass!

Healthy fruit smoothie

If you’re feeling fancy, go ahead, throw a stripe-y straw in there. Then you can examine your creation from all angles and appreciate the delicious pale green color.

Fruit Smoothie

The last steps? My favorite. Sip and enjoy!

Healthy smoothie time!

 

Apple Banana Smoothie with Almond Butter and Coconut Flakes

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1/2 apple (I used gala)
  • 1T almond butter
  • 1T shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1 cup kale

Directions:

  1. Throw all of the ingredients into a blender.
  2. Blend everything together, starting on a low speed (or pulse) and moving to a higher speed once the bananas are chopped up nicely.  Total blend time is usually 30-60 seconds.
  3. Pour into a glass or travel mug, grab a cute straw if you’re feeling fancy, drink up and enjoy!