Frosted Quinoa Smoothie Blend (Printable Version)

Creamy blend of quinoa, banana, Greek yogurt, and spices for a nourishing, refreshing start or boost.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - ½ cup cooked quinoa, cooled

→ Fruits

02 - 1 large ripe banana, sliced and frozen
03 - ½ cup frozen mango chunks
04 - ¼ cup frozen blueberries

→ Dairy & Alternatives

05 - ½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt (plant-based alternative optional)

→ Liquids

06 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or dairy milk

→ Sweeteners & Flavorings

07 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
08 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - Pinch of sea salt

→ Toppings (optional)

11 - 1 tablespoon chia seeds
12 - 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
13 - Fresh berries

# How To Make:

01 - Prepare quinoa according to package directions, then allow to cool completely.
02 - Add cooked quinoa, frozen banana, mango, blueberries, Greek yogurt, almond milk, honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt into a blender.
03 - Blend mixture on high speed until fully smooth and creamy.
04 - Taste and modify sweetness or consistency by adding more honey or milk as needed.
05 - Divide the smoothie evenly into two glasses.
06 - Optionally, sprinkle with chia seeds, shredded coconut, and fresh berries before serving immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the rare smoothie that actually keeps you full until lunch, thanks to quinoa's complete protein profile and the Greek yogurt doing heavy lifting
  • No weird chalky protein powder taste here, just natural creaminess from the yogurt and the nuttiness of toasted quinoa
  • You can make the quinoa ahead on Sunday and blend up breakfast in literally two minutes on busy mornings
  • It tastes like a dessert you're allowed to eat for breakfast, with vanilla and cinnamon doing all the heavy lifting flavor wise
02 -
  • Frozen fruit is non-negotiable here. Fresh fruit makes a watery smoothie that tastes more like juice than breakfast. Frozen fruit keeps it thick and creamy while keeping it cold
  • Your blender matters more than you think. If you're using a basic blender and it's struggling with the quinoa, add the milk first to give the blades something to grip, then add solids. A high-powered blender handles this easily and finishes in under a minute
  • Don't skip cooling the quinoa completely. Warm quinoa plus frozen fruit creates weird texture issues and melts your smoothie into something too thin. Plan ahead
03 -
  • Freeze your banana in slices on a baking sheet before moving it to a bag. Individual frozen pieces blend smoother than one giant frozen banana chunk
  • If your smoothie is too thick even after adding milk, you've probably over-filled the blender. A good rule is never fill past the maximum line, and if you need more volume, make two smoothies instead of one dense one

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