Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
By Jude Horak, UC patient. Flare-friendly. Drink.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Serves
- 1
There are flare days when chewing anything sounds terrible and my appetite is gone, but I know I still need calories and protein. This smoothie is the answer I keep coming back to. A ripe banana, a spoonful of smooth peanut butter, lactose-free milk, and plain Greek yogurt blended until completely smooth is close to 400 calories and around 18 grams of protein in a glass, with nothing in it that has skin, seeds, or crunch. The peanut butter has to be the smooth kind; crunchy peanut butter is basically whole nuts, and whole nuts are on my flare avoid list. I use lactose-free milk rather than regular to keep lactose out, and the Greek yogurt adds thickness and protein. It takes two minutes and I drink it slowly over half an hour rather than all at once, which seems to sit better. It is also what I make after an early start when I have not eaten.
Why it works for UC
Blending a banana breaks its already-soft flesh down completely, which is why blended fruit is often suggested as a way to get fruit servings during a flare. Smooth peanut butter is energy-dense protein and fat without the nut pieces or skins that add insoluble fiber. Lactose-free milk supplies protein and calcium with the lactose already broken down, and Greek yogurt adds more protein with far less lactose than milk. Smoothies like this one work because every ingredient has been chosen to be low in residue, and the blender removes what little texture is left.
Ingredient pages: Smoothies, Banana, Peanut butter, Lactose-Free Milk, Greek Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 large very ripe banana, peeled
- 1 1/2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 3/4 cup lactose-free milk, cold
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup, optional
- 3 to 4 ice cubes, optional
Method
- 1Break the banana into chunks and drop it into the blender, then add the peanut butter, lactose-free milk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla. Liquid first is not necessary here since the banana is soft.
- 2Blend on high for forty-five to sixty seconds, well past the point it looks mixed, until it is completely smooth and slightly frothy. Any streaks of peanut butter mean keep going.
- 3Taste and add maple syrup only if the banana was not sweet enough. A very ripe banana usually makes it unnecessary.
- 4Add the ice cubes if you want it colder and thicker, blend another fifteen seconds, and pour into a tall glass. Drink slowly rather than in a rush.
Tips and swaps
- Freeze peeled bananas in chunks when they get spotty. A frozen banana makes the smoothie thick and cold without any ice diluting it.
- If nut butter fat tends to bother you, drop to one tablespoon of peanut butter and add a second spoonful of Greek yogurt for protein instead.
- Unsweetened almond milk swaps in for lactose-free milk if you want to skip dairy completely; the smoothie will be a little thinner.
- Skip protein powders during a flare unless you already know you tolerate them. Many contain sugar alcohols and thickeners that can be rough.
What a serving gives you
One smoothie provides around 18 grams of protein, close to 400 calories, and a meaningful amount of potassium from the banana, which matters when a flare has you losing fluid and electrolytes. The peanut butter adds unsaturated fat and calories in a small volume, helpful when appetite is low. It is a drink that functions as a meal replacement on the days a meal is not happening.
Questions about this recipe
Can I add other fruit to this smoothie?
During a flare I keep it to banana, because it is soft and low in insoluble fiber. Peeled canned peaches or a few chunks of cantaloupe blend in smoothly and have been fine for me too. Berries are the fruit I skip mid-flare; the seeds and skins go through the blender but not through me. Save them for remission.
Is peanut butter okay during a flare?
Smooth peanut butter is specifically named as an easy-to-digest, energy-dense option in a lot of flare guidance, because it has no nut pieces or skins. Crunchy peanut butter and whole peanuts are a different story. The one thing to watch is fat: a tablespoon and a half is moderate, but if fatty foods trigger you, start with a teaspoon and work up.
