Chocolate or Vanilla? An Easy Banana Smoothie
Updated: Sep 12
Sometimes breakfast needs to be quick. A smoothie works well because the basic formula is easy to remember:
banana + yogurt + milk + ice
From there, you can take it in different directions. These are two versions I come back to: chocolate banana and vanilla banana.
Chocolate Banana Smoothie
What You Need
1 frozen banana
½ cup Greek yogurt
¾ to 1 cup milk of choice
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ice, as needed
How to Make It
Add the milk to the blender first. Then add the yogurt, banana, cocoa powder, vanilla, and ice. Blend until smooth.
If it is too thick, add a little more milk. If it is too thin, add more frozen banana or ice.
Vanilla Banana Smoothie
What You Need
1 frozen banana
½ cup Greek yogurt
¾ to 1 cup milk of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon, optional
Ice, as needed
How to Make It
Add the milk first, followed by the yogurt, banana, vanilla, and ice. Blend until smooth.
Taste and adjust the thickness to whatever you prefer.
Calm Kitchen Skill: Frozen Banana Changes the Texture
A frozen banana does more than make the smoothie cold. It also makes it thicker and creamier. That means you can often use less ice and still get a texture that feels more like a shake.
If you regularly make smoothies, peel ripe bananas before freezing them. Future you will be glad you did.
A smoothie does not need to become a supplement project. You do not have to add five powders, three seeds, and something labeled "superfood" just because it fits in the blender. Start with a few ingredients you actually like. Then add more only if it makes the smoothie better for you. — Jillian's Kitchen Note
Easy Swaps
No Greek yogurt?
Use regular yogurt, skyr, or a dairy-free yogurt. The texture and nutrition will vary, but the smoothie still works.
No soy or dairy milk?
Use whatever milk you have. Different milks will change the flavor, thickness, and protein content. That is okay.
Want more flavor?
Try cinnamon, peanut butter, almond butter, berries, coffee, or a pinch of nutmeg.
Want it thicker?
Use more frozen banana, less liquid, or a little more ice.
Want it thinner?
Add more milk. Simple.
A Basic Smoothie Formula
Once you know the basic structure, you do not really need a new recipe every time.
1 frozen fruit + yogurt + milk + flavor
banana + yogurt + milk + cocoa
banana + yogurt + milk + vanilla
berries + yogurt + milk
mango + yogurt + milk
banana + peanut butter + milk
That is enough to get you started.
Make It Fit the Day
Green Day
Add berries, oats, nut butter, or whatever else sounds good.
Yellow Day
Use the basic four ingredients and move on.
Red Day
Even simpler is fine. The smoothie just needs to work for the morning you are having.
Jillian Guralski, MBA, MS, RDN, LDN is a Registered Dietitian and nutrition educator with more than 15 years of experience. She created The Jillian Method to make food, cooking, and everyday health habits feel more practical, flexible, and easier to live with.
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