Strawberry Mango Banana Smoothie

How to make

You only need 6 ingredients to make strawberry mango banana smoothies. You don’t need a high-tech blender either.

• Frozen strawberries
• Frozen bananas
• Frozen mangoes
• Milk — I usually make smoothies with almond milk but any kind of milk will do
• Greek yogurt — if you prefer a smoothie with no yogurt, I give lots of suggestions for alternatives below
• Honey — you can also use maple syrup or skip this altogether if your fruits are already very sweet and ripe

I like to layer my smoothies (I’m fancy like that lol) so I make each layer separately then pour them in a glass.

If you don’t want a layered smoothie, simply blend all ingredients together. That easy!

(Do you have extra fresh strawberries? Make strawberry fruit dip or strawberry lemonade.)

Secrets to a creamy smoothie

I prefer a rich, creamy smoothie. And one way I achieve that is by using frozen fruits instead of ice. 

I find that ice tends to thin out the mixture so using frozen fruits helps me get that ice-cold, creamy smoothie I like.

Other things you can do:

• Add yogurt. Yogurt not only adds protein and a depth of flavour to your smoothie, it also helps make it creamy.

• Include fruits that blend creamy not runny. Fruits like bananas and mangoes, as opposed to oranges and watermelons.

• Other healthy ingredients. You can also add chia seeds or oatmeal to your smoothies. They’re a nutritious thickening agent.

Best liquid to use when making smoothies

Speaking of liquids, what’s the best kind to include in your smoothie?

This is really a matter of personal preference. When making banana strawberry mango smoothie, my base is always milk. But you can definitely swap this out for:

• Fruit juice, like orange and pineapple, or even peach
• Coconut water
• Or simply water

Experiment and discover all the delicious combinations!

How to make a creamy smoothie without yogurt

If you’re not a fan of yogurt or ran out of it, you can still make your smoothies rich and creamy by using one or a combination of the following:

• Avocado
• Coconut cream
• Protein powder 
• Oatmeal or chia seeds
• Nut butters

Or simply add more bananas and mangoes.

Best way to freeze fruit

We buy frozen fruits but when it’s summer and there’s an abundance of produce, we freeze our own. 

I usually just grab a cup of sliced strawberries, sliced mangoes and sliced bananas (or whatever your favourite fruits are), put them in Ziploc bags and freeze.

When you’re smoothie ready, just place them in your blender and off you go.

If you want to freeze fruits separately and not in one bag, it’s best to place the individual pieces on a baking pan lined with parchment paper first, then freeze. 

Once each piece is frozen, you can place them in a Ziploc bag. This way, you can avoid the chances of them sticking together in one frozen fruit ball.

Variations and substitutions

When making strawberry smoothies, I almost always stick to strawberries, bananas and mangoes. That’s not to say you can’t shake things up!

• Fruits that go well with strawberries: kiwi, oranges and other berries
• Fruits that go well with mangoes: apples, melons and pineapples
• Add avocados or greens like kale and spinach

And instead of yogurt, you can use any of the alternatives in the previous section.

Other summer drink recipes

If you need more recipes to help you stay cool this season, try:

• Orange Smoothie with Bananas and Yogurt
• Sweet Cherry Vanilla Milkshake
• Avocado Milkshake (Filipino Recipe)

Also check out this refreshing collection of more than 80 summertime drinks!

Enjoy!