This fluffy high protein banana date smoothie features gut healthy probiotics, healthy fats from peanut butter, and is naturally sweetened with medjool dates to build a delicious and satisfying smoothie!

With summertime fast approaching, we are about to enter into one of my favorite seasons- smoothie season! I say it’s a summertime thing but really you can find me sipping on high protein smoothies all year round… especially when they are as delicious as this high protein banana smoothie with dates!

Smoothies are a great opportunity to easily incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet, but smoothies can also easily become carbohydrate bombs! Fruits and vegetables are naturally higher in carbohydrate so it’s important that we add in other components (like protein and fat) to help balance out the carbohydrate content and build a smoothie that actually keeps you full!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

While I love smoothies of all shapes and sizes, this banana date smoothie will forever be one of my favorites because it’s:

High protein: The fluffy texture of this smoothie is made possible with vanilla whey protein powder and it helps this smoothie pack at least 20 grams of protein per serving.
Packed with probiotics: I recommend using unsweetened kefir for this recipe to get the benefit of the probiotics. If you do not like kefir, you can definitely swap this out for milk which will still add some protein!
Naturally sweetened: with their caramel flavor, medjool dates are a great way to naturally sweeten your foods. Beyond the medjool dates, this smoothie is enhanced even more with the spice of cinnamon which adds a ton of flavor without adding a ton of calories.
Full of fruits and vegetables: bananas, dates, and frozen cauliflower blended together into a delicious and nutritious smoothie!

I know you’ll love it too!

The process:

This recipe can be made in a blender or blender cup. Simply add all of your ingredients to your blender…

…and blend until smooth! To help you get a creamy smoothie, I highly recommend blending this recipe ENOUGH. As you blend, you not only smooth out your ingredients but you also better incorporate the protein powder leading to a thicker and creamier texture.

Believe me when I tell you that this smoothie is a creamy smoothie!

Recipe modification suggestions

This banana date smoothie is truly a recipe that I have perfected overtime, but there are things that you can do to make this smoothie more your own:

Use plain or chocolate milk: If kefir is not for you, I would add plain milk instead. This smoothie is also delicious with chocolate milk (I recommend Fairlife Chocolate Milk.)
Skip the cauliflower: I like to add cauliflower to most of my smoothies because it adds collimate and nutrition without adding a lot of calories or flavor. If you don’t have any frozen cauliflower on hand, you can certainly leave it out and you’ll still have a delicious smoothie.
Add more medjool dates: I originally made this recipe when I was 41 weeks pregnant and desperate to go into labor… which is why I was eating about 6 dates a day (no, I don’t think it helped with labor seeing as I went to 41 + 3.) While it increases the carbohydrate content, this smoothie is an easy way to get all your labor dates in at once!
Use greek yogurt: If you do not want to use protein powder, this smoothie can also be made with 1/2 cup of vanilla greek yogurt. It will change the consistency slightly, but your smoothie will still be great!

Ingredients:

My favorite part of this cinnamon banana date smoothie is that it features so many delicious flavors and nutrients from unique ingredients like:

Plain kefir: My favorite brand is Lifeway Kefir.
Frozen banana: If you want tips on how to make your smoothie creamy, my biggest tip is to use frozen fruit only. While this smoothie can be made with fresh banana, it will not be near as thick or creamy!
Frozen riced cauliflower: Adding veggies to smoothies is a great way to sneak in some nutrients without adding a ton of flavor or calories.
Medjool dates: My favorite medjool dates are Natural Delights dates. You can buy these pitted or whole and remove the pit yourself.
Cinnamon: Always use herbs, spices, and seasonings in your smoothies!
Vanilla protein powder: My favorite is Optimum Nutrition 100% Gold Standard Whey.
Peanut butter: This adds some healthy fats and really builds a satisfying smoothie.

Recipe FAQ:

Where can I buy frozen riced cauliflower?
1. Because it’s already been rinsed and washed, I buy riced cauliflower from the fresh produce section of the grocery store and then freeze it myself. You can also buy already frozen riced cauliflower, but this is not considered “ready to eat” and it’s recommended that you warm it up to kill off any potentially harmful bacteria.
Do the bananas have to be frozen?
1. I highly recommend making this recipe with frozen bananas but you can definitely make it with fresh bananas as well! Using fresh fruit will lead to a slightly thinner, more drinkable texture while using frozen fruit helps thicken this smoothie up and makes it much creamier.
Why aren’t my medjool dates blending?
1. If you are ending up with large chunks of medjool dates at the bottom of your smoothie, I recommend soaking the medjool dates in warm water for about 5 minutes prior to making your smoothie. This will soften their exterior and help them blend up easier!