Fill up on this healthy coffee smoothie if you struggle with mornings or are short on time. It’s super quick to prepare and will provide you with a boost of energy to kick-start your day.
Coffee Smoothie Ingredients
Bananas, milk, Greek yoghurt, a shot of coffee and a little cinnamon or cocoa are all that is needed here to create this taste sensation.
I haven’t specified what type of milk to use here. My own preference for this coffee smoothie is oat milk just because of its creamy ‘full-fat dairy’ taste when blended with the coffee. I find that the taste is not over powering and so won’t detract from that all important coffee flavour.
I add Greek yoghurt for extra creaminess and a boost of protein but do see my suggestion below if you’d prefer to leave the Greek yoghurt out.
Instant Coffee Smoothie v Ground Coffee Smoothie
This really does come down to personal preference and taste. For me, I’m a ground coffee kinda gal all day long and almost always have a jug full of filtered on the go. I’ve referred to using one shot of coffee if you are using filtered or ground. This equates to around 40ml. If I need an extra pick me up, I’ll make it a double!
If instant coffee is your preference then this recipe works just as well as an instant coffee smoothie. I’ve specified 1 teaspoon of instant coffee mixed with 50ml boiling water. I just like the taste of this ratio but by all means experiment. The beauty of adding coffee to a smoothie is it’s easy to adjust the taste according to your palette.
Then all that remains is to spice or flavor with either cinnamon or cocoa and add a little extra sweetener if that’s your preference.
Coffee Smoothie Recipe Variations
Coffee Smoothie Vegan Alternative
If you are looking for a coffee smoothie vegan-style recipe you could easily leave out the Greek yoghurt. There is no need to miss out on the creamy textured finish either. A simple way to boost the creaminess of the smoothie is to make sure that you use frozen bananas. I find that adding half an avocado also adds to the overall creamy texture as well as boosting the nutritional value.
Keto Coffee Smoothie
To ensure a good source of protein and to make this a low carb coffee smoothie then I would suggest opting for either unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk in place of the oat milk. Both are exceptionally low in carbs coming in at approximately 1g of carbs per 130ml versus 16g in the same amount of oat milk.
Coffee Protein Smoothie
On days that I have a workout planned, I’ll add a scoop of good quality protein and either drink it pre-workout to power me up or enjoy it as a post-workout recovery snack.
Another delightful variation is chocolate coffee smoothie. Just swap the vanilla protein powder for chocolate. The added protein helps with muscle repair and the use of bananas will provide sustained energy and minimise the chance of reaching for a sugary snack between meals.
There are many good quality plant-based as well as whey protein powders currently available to buy that would work equally well to make a delicious tasting protein coffee smoothie. If you choose a good quality brand and stick with either vanilla or chocolate to flavour, it won’t detract from that delicious coffee flavour.
Adjusting the sweetness of your smoothie
I’ve selected a couple of flavour enhancer options to make this coffee smoothie stand out from the crowd. Both the cinnamon or the cocoa will add a new dimension with the cocoa lending itself to the chocolate coffee smoothie that I have referred to above and the cinnamon bringing a slight warmth and added sweetness.
I’ve suggested either a drizzle of honey or maple syrup if you are catering for a sweet tooth when making this smoothie. Alternatively, you could add a sprinkle of stevia. The coffee of course has quite a bitter taste that will be softened by the addition of a sweetener.
More Delicious Smoothie Recipes
As I always say, smoothies can be adapted to suit your mood, your dietary requirements or your personal taste. They can also be adapted to make use of the seasons or the ingredients you have at home. If you love coffee smoothies but want to mix it up a little more how about a Coffee banana peanut butter smoothie? Follow the instructions for my Healthy Coffee Smoothie and add two tablespoons of smooth peanut butter before blitzing. It’s a combination of flavors that shouldn’t work but somehow, they just do.
Alternatively, here are a selection of my favorite smoothie recipes from my blog:
Healthy Blueberry Banana Smoothie
Either click on the links above to jump straight to the smoothie recipes or have a browse on my blog for even more ideas.
Coffee Smoothie Recipe
Coffee Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1-2 bananas
- 100 ml milk
- 100 ml Greek yoghurt
- 1 shot of coffee 40ml of filtered or 1tsp instant coffee with approx. 50ml boiling water added
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cocoa powder if desired
- A drizzle of additional sweetener if desired such as honey, maple syrup or stevia
Instructions
- Pour the milk and Greek yoghurt into the jug of a blender or food processor
- Remove the banana from its peel, break into pieces and add this to the blender
- Add your choice of coffee – either filtered or instant
- Add the cinnamon or cocoa and additional sweetener if desired
- Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy
- Add more milk or yoghurt to adjust the consistency of the smoothie
- Check the sweetness and add more flavouring and sweetener if desired
- Pop in a couple of ice cubes to serve
Ingredient Substitutes
My Healthy Coffee Smoothie recipe is a really quick and easy one to have in your armour. Yes, it’s nutritious and filling but the ingredients are versatile enough to cater for a few variations. Check out below a few ways to switch out the ingredients:
Oat Milk Substitute
I simply love the creamy flavour of oat milk but that’s not to say that you can’t enjoy this smoothie with other milk alternatives. I’ve made this recipe with both almond milk and diary in the past. Both tasted delicious and did not detract from the finished flavour and texture.
If you don’t have oat milk to hand or you don’t like the taste then an alternative will work just as well. You may need to adjust the quantities though to avoid the milk masking the taste of the coffee. The important thing is to use your favourite and enjoy it! Use whatever you have to hand or in accordance with your dietary requirements.
Greek yogurt substitute
If you are planning on leaving out the Greek yogurt to make either a vegan coffee smoothie or a keto coffee smoothie, then I would suggest using unsweetened coconut milk (the type that you buy in a can that has a layer of cream stuck to the lid) and half an avocado. Both replacement ingredients will enable you to achieve a smooth texture and creamy finish.
Tips
– If you have any banana leftover, then freezing them for another time is a great way to cut out waste. Bananas are a great way to add creaminess to your smoothie and remove the need to add extra ice to serve.
– Just remember, the riper the banana when you freeze it, the sweeter it will taste. Soft fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, bananas and cherries all freeze exceptionally well provided you remember to flash freeze them first and then transfer them to handy freezer bags for easy access at a later date.
– Simply place a single layer of the fruit on a baking sheet or tray, pop it into your freezer and allow to freeze for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, you can place in handy freezer bags or plastic storage containers until required.
