PB&J Smoothie Bowl

Name: PB&J Smoothie Bowl
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 banana (fresh or frozen); 1/2 c. fresh or frozen strawberries (about 6 berries); 1/4 c. peanut butter; 1/2 c. milk, water or dairy-free milk

A fresh take on a nostalgic classic.

Smoothie bowl with banana, strawberry, blueberries, chia seeds and honey

I don’t think I can ever be too old for a PB&J.

Salty, velvety peanut butter with gooey, sticky-sweet fruit jelly… It brings me right back to my elementary school lunch table, where I spent countless afternoons hunched over a styrofoam lunch tray, carefully unwrapping a Smucker’s Uncrustable sandwich.

I get a little taste of that nostalgia every time I make this PB&J smoothie! It’s so delicious that you wouldn’t even know it was nutritious.

I’ve been making these smoothies since college, and boy are they good. It’s super creamy thanks to the addition of a banana, and it has just the perfect balance of sweet strawberries and nutty peanut butter. Not too peanut-y, not overwhelmingly sweet. Just right.

It’s great for busy mornings, since you can make it in advance. It also makes for a satisfying midday or post-workout snack.

Also… Pink food is just fun?!?!

Perhaps best of all, you can customize it to whatever you need that day. Some extra vitamins? Add a handful of spinach, kale or blueberries. Hungry? Throw some chia seeds in the mix. Dairy-free? Use your favorite non-dairy milk or water. You could even add yogurt, honey, cinnamon or whatever your heart desires.

While this is delicious on its own as a smoothie, I really love to turn it into a smoothie bowl! More tips on that later.

You can use frozen strawberries year-round, but it’s an extra special treat when strawberries are fresh and in season! I buy strawberries by the bagful from my farmers market in the summer, and I can’t wait for that day to come again soon. It’s been a chillier start to the spring, or so I’m told by my favorite strawberry farmer, and strawberry season is lagging a bit this year.

First, here’s what you’ll need…

Ingredients

Banana (fresh or frozen)
Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
Peanut butter
Milk, dairy-free milk or water

Instructions

You already know. Put it in a blender and blend until smooth!

Smoothie Hacks

If you’ve got the extra time, try freezing your ingredients ahead of time for a thicker, creamier smoothie bowl. Peel and roughly chop up the banana and freeze for a few hours. Frozen bananas are a major smoothie hack. I like to keep some ready to go in my freezer because it really takes your smoothies to the next level.

Want to make your smoothie bowl more filling? Try topping it with granola or adding about ½ cup of oats into the mix. You’ll need to add more liquid accordingly, but this keeps me feeling full for hours later. If smoothies tend to leave you feeling hungry, try this out!

Smoothie Bowl Toppings

There are endless options here! A tasty pairing would be my toasted coconut granola with macadamia nuts, honey and cardamom (cinnamon works too). Such a tropical treat.

Here are some other possibilities:

Berries
Almonds
Sliced banana
Honey
Oats
Strawberries
Peanut butter
Pomegranate seeds
Chia seeds
White chocolate chips
Dried fruits
Apple slices

There are a million and one ways to enjoy this tasty treat that feels a little bit like childhood. I hope you find your favorite combo and love this as much as I do!