This naturally probiotic smoothie recipe ticks all the boxes with fresh blueberries, vanilla kefir and a touch of honey.
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I love, love, love using kefir in smoothies. With a slightly different flavor than yogurt, it's a great way to mix things up and add a little extra fermented food love to your life. If you've never tried kefir before, this recipe is a great intro; it's refreshing, easy and delicious.
Did you know?
Very similar to its cousin, yogurt, kefir is a fermented food produced by a process known as lacto-fermentation which converts beneficial bacteria from special kefir grains into lactic acid—both preserving the milk as well as giving it its deliciously tangy, sour flavor.
If you can't get enough blueberries in your life (like me), you can also try this blueberry banana smoothie, this mixed berry smoothie or these easy blueberry muffins. And if you love using kefir in recipes as much as I do, you should also check out this kefir overnight oats recipe. 🙂 You can also check out these easy Mediterranean diet recipes or Mediterranean diet breakfasts for other wholesome recipe inspiration.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Takes only 5 minutes to make!
- Contains natural probiotics from the kefir
- No added processed sugar
- Easy to adjust the sweetness with extra honey
- Refreshing and delicious breakfast smoothie
🌿 Ingredients
Just a few ingredients are all you'll need for this smoothie. You should be able to find kefir at a natural foods store as well as at nearly all large grocery stores (look in the yogurt section.) If you can't find it, just substitute vanilla yogurt instead!
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
This kefir smoothie recipe does not disappoint when it comes to prep time. You'll be drinking its deliciousness in five minutes flat.
Simply place all of the ingredients in a blender, kefir first and ice last. Then cover the blender tightly, increase its speed to high and blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until everything is smooth and creamy.
Pro tip: Use a professional-grade blender for an extra smooth texture if you have one, but a standard blender will work just fine too. If you use a standard blender, run for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute to make sure everything is as smoothly incorporated as possible.
You can test it to check sweetness; if's not sweet enough, just blend in a little extra honey. Then pour into two tall glasses and enjoy immediately.
📋 Substitutions
This smoothie is naturally gluten free and vegetarian as written. Here are some common substitutions you can make:
- Kefir - if you can't find kefir in your local store, just substitute vanilla yogurt or plain yogurt
- Blueberries - use the same amount of strawberries, raspberries or mixed berries (fresh or frozen fruit both work great)
- Banana - feel free to substitute fresh or frozen pineapple instead of banana to make up for the sweetness
- Honey - substitute maple syrup or agave syrup; they both work great
- Chia seeds - ground flax seeds also work well, or just leave out
- Vegan - unfortunately there really aren't any vegan or dairy free kefir products on the market (unless you make your own), but you can definitely swap out the milk kefir in this recipe with any plant based yogurt, and use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey to make vegan
📖 Variations
And here are a few variations you can try on this kefir shake:
- Kale blueberry kefir smoothie - add a couple leaves of kale and a ½ cup or so of frozen pineapple chunks to balance the kale flavor (I love this variation!)
- Strawberry kefir smoothie - just swap the same amount of fresh or frozen strawberries for blueberries
- Mango kefir smoothie - use fresh or frozen mango instead of berries
- Banana kefir smoothie - add an extra banana and leave out the berries
- Protein - if you want to sneak in a little extra protein and creaminess at the same time, add a tablespoon or so of almond butter or peanut butter, or add a scoop of protein powder
- Kid friendly - add a little extra honey (if necessary) for some extra sweetness
🔪 Equipment
Here is the equipment you'll need to make this smoothie recipe:
- professional-grade blender or standard blender
A professional-grade blender (if you have one) will create an extra smooth texture, but a standard blender will work just fine too.
🍱 Storage
This smoothie tastes best when consumed immediately, but it will stay fresh for up to 24 hours in the fridge in a covered container. It does not stand up well to freezing.
🎉 Top tip
If you haven't tried kefir before, this recipe is a great place to start! While kefir is a little more tart than yogurt, the sweetness of the banana, berries and honey are the perfect complement.
Enjoy!
💭 FAQ
Kefir is a fermented milk drink made by adding kefir grains to milk and allowing the beverage to ferment. Its flavor is very similar to yogurt and it is often similarly found sweetened with various fruits or sugar.
Most large grocery store chains carry kefir in the dairy and yogurt section, as well as smaller natural-foods oriented stores.
Kefir makes a delicious addition to smoothies due to its tart taste and creamy texture. Popular fruit smoothies with kefir often include bananas, blueberries, strawberries or mango. Honey or maple syrup can be added to the smoothie for extra sweetness.
Kefir smoothies taste best when consumed immediately, but they will stay fresh for up to 24 hours in the fridge if kept in a covered container or jar.
🍳 Recipe
Blueberry Kefir Smoothie
Equipment
- professional-grade blender or standard blender (see notes)
Ingredients
- 1 cup vanilla kefir or plain kefir; I used Lifeway Cultured Whole Milk Vanilla Kefir
- 1 medium ripe banana
- 1 ½ cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- 2 teaspoons honey or to taste; optional, for extra sweetness or if using plain kefir
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flax seeds; optional, for extra nutrition and fiber
- a few ice cubes optional, for an extra icy smoothie or if using fresh berries
Instructions
- Blend: Place all of the ingredients in the order listed in a blender, and cover. Increase speed to high and blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Enjoy: Pour into tall glasses and enjoy immediately or save in the fridge for up to 24 hours in a covered container.
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