You all are always getting on me to be a bit less talkative in these blog posts, so OK OK I will try my best 😉 But no promises! What I will promise is that this strawberry banana side-by-side smoothie using Raw Organic Protein by Garden of Life will quickly become a summer staple in your diet.
I can never decide on a smoothie flavor, and this fixes that entire issue! Plus you can truly make it your own. It’s the best of both worlds tbh.
Table of contents
Why this protein powder?
Now I love Garden of Life and I have loved them for a long time! With this protein powder I know exactly what I’m getting, it’s super easy on my stomach AND they have an unflavored version, which makes it super easy for me to mix-and-match with smoothie flavors.
Using this protein is what makes this smoothie:
1) one of my boyfriend’s favorites and
2) one of the easiest, creamiest, thickest smoothies out there
You don’t realize how much the protein powder makes a difference until you try it. She thicc (but in a good way!) Protein powder allows a smoothie to thicken up even if you use a substantial amount of liquid. So in this strawberry and banana protein smoothie, we are using a decent amount of plant-based milk, but the smoothie still turns out thick and creamy.
When people ask me how to make a strawberry banana protein smoothie, I always say that finding the right protein is the best way to start. This unflavored version isn’t chalky, doesn’t have any weird ingredients and I know it’s properly sourced. I can’t endorse it enough, especially for any of my protein recipes.
How to mix & match flavors to make this protein smoothie your own
Now you can also mix-and-match these smoothie flavors to make it your own – that’s the best part about a smoothie! I do recommend keeping the base flavor the same with banana, cauliflower and vanilla, but after that you can switch up the mix-ins and the other flavors as you prefer!
Some other berries or additions I recommend are:
- blueberries
- raspberries
- pineapple
- mango
- green apple + spinach for a green smoothie vibe
- cocoa powder and peanut butter for a Reese’s combo
- cherries
- acai
But the possibilities are really endless and totally up to you!
How to make the “side by side” effect
The side-by-side effect is a bit tricky (I mean even in my photo I didn’t get it completely perfect!) but you can do it with a few easy tricks. I’ve included my video tutorial here, and you can also check out the tips below!
- Pour the smoothies at the same time, and aim to keep them as close to the edge of the glass as possible.
- Use a similar sized container for each side of the strawberry and banana protein smoothies, this will help them pour out evenly!
- Try to pour at the same time, and stay consistent with how much you are pouring – it’s definitely tricky and will take some time to get the hang of, but soon you’ll be nailing the side-by-side!
Looking for more easy breakfast recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:
And as promised, I said I’d link to the protein powder so here it is! And if you make a side-by-side please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! I can’t wait to see what you come up with 🙂
Side by Side Smoothie | Banana, chocolate and strawberry protein smoothie
Ingredients
For the base smoothie:
- 1 large banana frozen
- 2 large pitted dates optional as sweetener
- 1/2 cup cauliflower rice frozen
- 1 scoop Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein unflavored
- 1/2 cup plant milk of choice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
For the two sides:
- 2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
Instructions
- In a large blender, add the banana, dates, cauliflower rice, protein powder, almond milk, vanilla extract and salt. Blend until smooth.
- Once the smoothie is blended, pour 1/2 of the smoothie into a measuring cup. Stir in the chocolate chips to that one portion of the smoothie.
- With the other half of the smoothie still in the blender, add the frozen strawberries and blend again until it is bright pink.
- Very carefully pour both smoothies into one glass at the same time, creating the side-by-side smoothie effect.
- Either stir together or enjoy separately, and enjoy!
