Mango Banana Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies are such a delightfully satisfying treat. On the one hand, if they are made with balance in mind, then they are probably pretty healthy, too. On the other, they are undeniably delicious. Thanks to the natural sweetness of fruit, you can enjoy a creamy flavorful drink that is packed with vitamins and minerals. Susan Olayinka is a recipe developer and shares her ideas on her own food blog The Flexible Fridge. On her website, she seeks to create easy family friendly recipes that won't keep you stuck in the kitchen for hours.

This mango banana smoothie recipe will take you a total of five minutes to whip up, and chances are that everyone in the family will be eager to chug it down. This is one of Olayinka's favorite smoothie combos, and she remarks, "I love anything tropical, it's in my blood so this [blend] was bound to happen!" Once you take the first sip, you'll probably understand why Olayinka says, "It reminds me of the summer." 

What better way to start the day with a boost of energy or get over a midday slump? This recipe is the perfect template for all other smoothies you would like to try making in the future. 

Olayinka lists the ingredients necessary to make two portions of this tasty smoothie, but you can easily adjust the quantities to make more or less. For starters, you will need two bananas. Olayinka recommends to choose yellow bananas, and skip any that are green or spotty. Next, one mango is added in to highlight the tropical flavors of this smoothie. If you are keen to experiment with other fruits, Olayinka says to try "pineapple or young coconut." 

To balance out the sweetness with a tang of acid, squeeze in the juice of half a lime. In order to blend everything together, any milk will work, but Olayinka opts for oat milk, which has a fairly neutral taste. Then, 1 tablespoon of honey brings all of the sweet tropical flavors together. If you prefer, Olayinka vouches that other sweeteners such as maple or agave syrup will also do the trick. 

This smoothie recipe is easy, straightforward, and requires almost zero active time. To speed up the time in the blender, Olayinka recommends cutting the fruit. Peel the bananas, and cut them up into smaller chunks. Then, slice the mango so that it also consists of a pile of smaller pieces. If you are still fighting with the mango every time you try to slice it, then you are probably doing it wrong. Slice off both of the wider sides, staying close to the pit to get the maximum amount of mango. Then, slice a checkerboard grid in the flesh, and scoop it out with a spoon.

This next step will make you relieved that you have a blender, because it would certainly be harder to do this by hand! Toss the mango and banana pieces into the blender with the juice from half a lime, 2 cups of your favorite milk, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Make sure to secure the lid, then blend the contents on high speed for 10 seconds. Depending on the quality of your blender, the duration may fluctuate slightly. Once the mixture is smooth, it is ready to serve.

Pour this thick, creamy smoothie into two glasses to serve. Olayinka likes to add some mint as garnish — the refreshing herbal note makes a great match for the tropical flavors. Smoothies are tempting at any time of the day, so it shouldn't be hard to pause for five minutes to make this tasty recipe. Olayinka remarks that she serves this mango banana smoothie "Saturday morning, or when we need a quick breakfast." To enjoy this drink at its best, savor it shortly after making it so that its heavenly texture is retained.