Vanilla Smoothie {Definitely Not Boring}

This creamy, thick and luscious Vanilla Smoothie is an awesome way to start the day! Vanilla has a reputation for being the 'boring' option. It's most definitely not and this easy peasy yummy vanilla smoothie is gonna prove it to you!

Vanilla Smoothie

I didn't make vanilla smoothies for ages and instead made fancy fruity smoothies instead while trying to get as much variety into the kids diets as I could. But sometimes you long for the simple things in life and this vanilla smoothies here tin save the day :)

While simple, this is in no way dull. Vanilla is such a great flavor and perfect for kids who're a little fussier with their flavors. I've used chia seeds for a little added creaminess and these help to thicken the smoothie too, alongside being super good for you!

Vanilla as a flavor and how strong you like it really comes down to individual taste. I've put 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla paste in the recipe, and for much smaller kids I'd probably start with a smaller amount as it can be too strong for smaller kids.

It's easy to add a bit more vanilla paste at the end when you've served the smoothie and so it's adjustable for everyone you're making this for.

What's In This Smoothie?

Easy, everyday ingredients!

Frozen Banana

I like to keep lots of very ripe bananas, peeled, in the freezer for recipes just like this one. When you have a bunch of bananas that are super ripe and you don't know what to do with them, pop them in a ZipLoc bag and put them in the freezer. Then they're on hand for smoothies and mean you don't have to add extra ice to cool the drink.

Feel free to use fresh bananas if that's all you've got but you'll need to add some ice if you prefer your smoothies a bit colder. Just remember, the riper your bananas the sweeter the smoothie will be.

Vanilla Pod vs Vanilla Bean Paste

As much as I love vanilla pods, the look of them, the smell and of course the taste, they're pretty expensive to buy where I am and so while I buy them when they're on offer (hardly ever!) or happen to see them reasonably priced somewhere, I don't buy them very often at all.

So before I found vanilla bean paste, I'd use vanilla extract which was okay but often contained a lot of the things I don't want the kids (or us!) to be consuming so it was always a bit of a mission to find one that was Clean enough.

Then I found vanilla bean paste.

Vanilla bean paste is a cross between fresh vanilla pods and an extract. It's a lot more intense than an extract, better for you as there's less chemical flavor enhancers and you need to use less of it to get a more natural flavor. I'm a big fan! It is a little more expensive than extract but not as much as vanilla pods. It's a good compromise.

Chia Seeds

I add a table spoon of chia seeds because they're good for you and they give you a lovely thick, creamy smoothie. I never used to be a fan of these little seeds because I didn't really understand them, but now I love them. If your blender is powerful enough you can blend them so the kids almost won't even know they're there, so they get the goodness of these seeds without the 'bittiness' the kids sometimes complain about :)

More Clean Eating Smoothie Recipes

• Gingerbread smoothie
• Chia banana boost smoothie
• Immunity smoothie for kids
• Cherry and raspberry smoothie
• Tropical fruit Greek yogurt smoothie

How To Make A Vanilla Smoothie

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Milk Dairy, Almond, Oat
• 2 Bananas Fresh or frozen
• 1 tbsp Chia seeds
• 1-2 tsp Vanilla bean paste
• 1 Cup Ice If not using frozen bananas

Instructions

• Add all your ingredients into the blender and process for 60-90 seconds
• Serve in glasses, adding a little more vanilla bean paste if needed

Vanilla Smoothie Recipe