3 Minute Blueberry Milkshake Smoothie

3 Minute Blueberry Milkshake Smoothie…a healthy protein packed smoothie that tastes like a milkshake. Best part? It’s incredibly quick and easy to make! This smoothie gets a natural boost of plant-based protein from one of my favorite budget-friendly ingredients: Pumpkin Seeds. I sprinkle them straight into the blender along with a frozen banana, blueberries, baby spinach, a dash of cinnamon, and a spoonful of silky almond butter. This combo makes an absolutely delicious smoothie but it’s really the technique that makes this easy recipe taste like a milkshake. And let me tell you, it’s heavenly.

this …

HOW TO MAKE A PROTEIN RICH VEGAN SMOOTHIE WITHOUT PRICEY INGREDIENTS

My two best tips for tips for adding plant protein to your breakfast? Seeds and choosing the right plant milk. Let’s start with seeds.

I love using Pumpkin Seeds in smoothies because just two tablespoons adds 4.8 grams of protein! But they also pack a major nutrient punch that goes well beyond just protein. Pumpkin seeds also offer magnesium (a mineral many people don’t get enough of) zinc (which has anti-inflammatory properties) and healthy fats and fiber too. Plus they’re typically less expensive than many other nuts on and seeds on the market so I love to sprinkle pumpkin seeds on to just about everything! If you’re not a fan of eating them whole – or you can’t get your kids to eat them – this smoothie recipe is a great way to add more seeds to your diet because they blend so seamlessly.

Next, I deliberately choose a protein-rich plant milk. Don’t get me wrong, oat milk is delicious, and it’s great in this recipe too if that’s what you have on hand. But subbing something like soy milk or pea milk is ideal because they’re also creamy and both add around 8 grams of protein to this recipe. That’s a win win in my book!

HOW TO MAKE THIS SMOOTHIE TASTE LIKE A MILKSHAKE

As with most recipes, flavor is important but we can’t forget about texture! Texture is what makes a meal in my opinion because you have a delicious tasting smoothie that is somehow watery AND chunky at the same time. Raise your hand if you know exactly what I’m talking about!

Luckily, those chunky smoothies are a thing of that past because I’ve learned few tricks to make the perfect smoothie each and every time.

1. Use an overripe, spotty, frozen banana. Frozen is key for creating a creamy texture because it almost acts as the ice cream in this “milkshake.” It’s also important that it’s overripe. Avoid a perfectly yellow banana here if possible. We want speckled and spotty because a ripe banana will naturally sweeten the smoothie perfectly, making it completely unnecessary to add any sweeteners later on.
2. Just like with salad dressing, adding a healthy fat makes all the difference when it comes to creating a silky smooth smoothie. In this case, the almond butter is a real game changer, and in addition to complimenting the flavor of the banana and cinnamon (such a good combo!) it also works to emulsify this smoothie into the perfect milkshake consistency.
3. MOST IMPORTANT STEP: Don’t just blend until all of the contents in the blender liquify. Really let it whirl for a good 30 seconds or so after that to allow for the blender to work it’s magic and emulsify this smoothie into a perfectly smooth vegan “milkshake.” This is also why using a frozen banana and frozen blueberries is key!

I hope you enjoy my 3 Minute Blueberry Milkshake Smoothie! It really is such a delicious treat, especially if you serve it with a sprinkle of granola and some extra blueberries on top!

If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please comment below and give this recipe a 5 star review! It would mean a lot!

Happy smoothie making everyone! Sending you love ☀️