{"id":2281,"date":"2026-06-17T17:27:52","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T17:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=2281"},"modified":"2026-06-17T17:27:52","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T17:27:52","slug":"my-fix-everything-smoothie-recipe-cup-of-jo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=2281","title":{"rendered":"My Fix-Everything Smoothie Recipe | Cup of Jo"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"My<\/p>\n

Three years ago, I was interviewing author Virginia Sole-Smith<\/a> for her Beauty Uniform<\/a>, when she casually mentioned the smoothie she made each morning. \u201cIt\u2019s just this easy smoothie that the whole family likes,\u201d she said. \u201cOat milk, frozen blueberries, peanut butter, and chocolate protein powder.\u201d And though I was meant to be asking about stuff like her face wash, I was intrigued. A breakfast smoothie that everyone<\/em> liked?<\/p>\n

My daughter had just started preschool, and I\u2019d come to understand how hectic breakfast time could be. Each morning felt like a reality-show competition, wherein I had to invent something filling and appealing in the exact amount of time it took my husband to get her dressed (would it be three minutes or 17? Who knew?!). But, I realized, all I needed for a smoothie was my little NutriBullet<\/a> and a cup. Furthermore, I could throw in one of the 800 frozen bananas taking up all our freezer space. Could a good, easy, filling smoothie solve all<\/em> my problems? Well, no. But it could solve a lot.<\/p>\n

Riffing on Virginia\u2019s recipe, I came up with my own combo: 1 frozen banana, 1 handful of rolled oats, a heaping scoop of peanut butter, and an eye-balled cup of milk<\/strong>. Maybe some vanilla, if I have an extra 10 seconds. It\u2019s thick and creamy, it fills you up, and though it looks like grey sludge it tastes so good that you\u2019ll forgive the presentation. This smoothie is a hit with lots of folks (I made this batch at Joanna\u2019s, and her teenage boys<\/a> devoured it!), but what makes it my pinch-hitter is that I always have the ingredients around.<\/p>\n

\"My<\/p>\n

You are welcome to just use mine, or riff on it, as I did with Virginia\u2019s. But for guidance on designing your own, I reached out to recipe developer Amy Palanjian<\/a> (you may know her as the creator of Yummy Toddler Food<\/a>). Amy is an absolute whiz at smoothie recipes<\/a> \u2014 her prowess comes from years of making breakfast for her three children. \u201cMy eldest hated smoothies and wouldn\u2019t drink them unless there was a braces situation,\u201d she told me. \u201cIt was frustrating! So, when I had my second child, I decided to do everything in my power to figure out how to make smoothies they\u2019d love<\/em>.\u201d Here are Amy\u2019s pro tips<\/a>:<\/p>\n

1. Think beyond banana.<\/strong> \u201cFor creaminess, bananas obviously work great, but if you don\u2019t want a banana-forward smoothie, there are other ways to get that texture. Two ways I add creaminess are Greek yogurt or frozen mango.\u201d While frozen berries have a higher water content, mango is dense and fibrous, she points out. \u201cIt basically has the same texture as ice cream when blended.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Try hemp seeds and nut butters.<\/strong> A breakfast smoothie needs a little heft to sustain you through the morning. \u201cI often add a few tablespoons of hemp seeds, because they add fat and protein, but they don\u2019t<\/em> muck up the texture. Some people like flax or chia seeds, but they can make a smoothie kind of gelatinous. Peanut butter and almond butter also work well for adding density.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Experiment with dry and powdered ingredients.<\/strong> Dry ingredients can add a lot to your smoothie, without messing up flavor or texture. \u201cIf you want something similar to protein powder, dried milk powder is a great option. It\u2019ll add the nutritive components of milk, without adding a milky flavor. It\u2019s also inexpensive and convenient because it\u2019s shelf-stable.\u201d You can also smash up some freeze-dried fruit. <\/p>\n

4. Keep it super<\/em> simple.<\/strong> \u201cOne thing I realized when I was trying to nail smoothies is that I\u2019d been adding too much stuff. Fewer ingredients is often the best way to go \u2014 there was a solid year when my kids drank the same smoothie every day after school, and it was just milk and frozen mango. I\u2019d suggest adding a little maple syrup or something, and they\u2019d just go, \u2018Absolutely not.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Amy<\/p>\n

Smoothie expert Amy Palanjian<\/em><\/p>\n

What do you put in your smoothies? Thank you for the pointers, Amy<\/a>! (And thanks to Virginia<\/a> for the smoothie inspiration!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. Three throw-together breakfasts<\/a>, and morning cookies for the backpack<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Last photo by Lauren Volo from Amy\u2019s cookbook<\/a>, courtesy of Amy Palanjian<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

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2<\/span> COMMENTS<\/p>\n

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