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Home » What We're Eating » Bananas Foster Protein Shake

Bananas Foster Protein Shake

Lasted edited January 15, 2019. Originally published January 15, 2019 by Blair

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A low calorie Bananas Foster Protein Shake is a healthy breakfast to start the day! Bananas, rum extract, warm spices and caramel sauce give this smoothie all of the flavors of your favorite Southern dessert -- minus the guilt!

Total Time: 5 minutes
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A low calorie Bananas Foster Protein Shake is a healthy breakfast to start the day! Bananas, rum extract, warm spices and caramel sauce give this smoothie all of the flavors of your favorite Southern dessert — minus the guilt!

Glass of bananas foster protein smoothie with sprinkles and caramel sauce

It’s the new year, so many of us are looking to get back on track with some lighter options that make our bodies feel great — and that still taste delicious!

I thought that it would be fun to put a lighter twist on the classic Bananas Foster dessert, so that we can have our sweets and eat them, too! Since the dessert is normally made from bananas and vanilla ice cream, a thick, creamy vanilla-based banana smoothie was born.

Instead of the typical Bananas Foster sauce that’s made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and rum, I grabbed that same flavor combination by including rum extract, cinnamon, and caramel sauce in my protein shake. Ta-da! All of the goodness of Bananas Foster in a smoothie that is SO thick, I like to eat it with a spoon. It’s like soft-serve banana ice cream!

Healthy banana smoothie in a glass with pink and blue straws and caramel sauce on top

How to make a healthy Bananas Foster Protein Shake:

This 5-minute banana smoothie only requires a handful of ingredients. I’m going to show you how to get that classic “Bananas Foster” flavor in a healthy, low calorie recipe!

First, the ingredients: you’ll need almond milk, cashew milk or any other milk of your choice; vanilla or cake batter flavored protein powder; a ripe banana that has been sliced and frozen; rum extract; cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Plus a lot of ice!

Ingredients for Banana Smoothie with protein powder

Trust me — the rum extract makes the healthy smoothie taste like a dessert, so don’t skip that ingredient!

This IdealLean Cake Batter is my favorite protein powder, which has 0 grams of sugar and only 80 calories per scoop. It adds the perfect thick, creamy texture to the smoothie! I also like this Quest Vanilla Milkshake protein powder.

Tub of IdealLean cake batter flavor protein powder

Oh, and one more note: one key to the thick, creamy texture of this shake is definitely the FROZEN banana! Don’t skip that! It’s a great way to use up overripe bananas, too.

When you have dark bananas on your counter, just peel them, slice them, and wrap them individually. Stick the sliced bananas into the freezer and pull them out as you need them.

Sliced banana on a cutting board

Once the ice and all of the ingredients are in your blender, add the milk and blend until thick and smooth!

Pouring milk into a blender

Garnish with plenty of fun toppings, too! I like this sugar-free caramel sauce along with some sprinkles, but you can also add sliced banana, whipped cream, or chopped peanuts!

Child's hand reaching for a glass of healthy banana protein smoothie

What to serve with a healthy Banana Smoothie:

This recipe is about 200 calories (depending on the type of milk and protein powder that you use), so it makes a great base for your breakfast, or you can split it in half for a lighter snack.

If you’re enjoying the banana smoothie as your main course for a meal, you will probably need to add some additional ingredients or other sides to give it a little bit more staying-power. Good options include:

  • chia seeds
  • nut butters
  • coconut oil
  • ground flax seeds
  • vegetables that you can’t taste in a smoothie, such as baby spinach or frozen cauliflower florets
  • Greek yogurt

On the side, try serving your smoothie with:

  • Peanut butter toast
  • A bowl of oatmeal or a slice of baked oatmeal
  • A bagel topped with nut butter, butter, or cream cheese
  • Granola on top
  • Pancakes or frozen waffles
  • A muffin

Or anything else that you think sounds delicious! Just make sure that you’re pairing the smoothie with enough carbs and healthy fats to create a satisfying meal that won’t leave you starving an hour later. That said, the smoothie makes a perfect light snack on its own — at any time of day!

Overhead image of glass of bananas foster protein shake

COOK’S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:

  • Don’t forget to freeze your banana! The frozen banana adds great thickness and a creamy texture to the protein shake.
  • Make this a chocolate banana smoothie by using chocolate protein powder and about 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder!
  • Blend in any of the healthy mix-in’s listed above for a nutritional boost. For instance, I often toss in some spinach, giving my breakfast a healthy does of veggies (without impacting the taste of the smoothie).
  • If you’re preparing this healthy smoothie for kids, you can omit the protein powder and substitute with Greek yogurt. Since the protein powder adds not only thickness, but also flavor to the smoothie, you’ll want to use a sweetened vanilla Greek yogurt or use a plain Greek yogurt and add your own sweetener, to taste. The taste and texture of the smoothie recipe with yogurt will not be quite the same as the protein powder version, but your family will still love it!
  • Keep the healthy smoothie recipe low sugar by using unsweetened vanilla almond milk and a sugar free protein powder.
  • I prefer whey protein for flavor and thickness in this smoothie, but if you prefer a plant-based breakfast, you can substitute with a vegan protein powder.

You might also like these healthy protein shake recipes:

  • Cake Batter Healthy Smoothie
  • Chunky Monkey Protein Smoothie
  • Apple Pie Protein Smoothie
  • Chocolate Almond Protein Smoothie
Did you try this recipe? Don’t forget to rate it and leave me a comment below! You can follow me on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and on Twitter!
5 from 1 vote
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Bananas Foster Protein Shake

A low calorie Bananas Foster Protein Shake is a healthy breakfast to start the day! Bananas, rum extract, warm spices and caramel sauce give this smoothie all of the flavors of your favorite Southern dessert -- minus the guilt!

Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword banana protein shake, banana smoothie, healthy banana smoothie
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 person
Calories 197.9 kcal
Author Blair

Ingredients

  • 1 medium ripe banana sliced and frozen
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder*
  • ½ - 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, cashew milk, or other milk of your choice
  • 1-2 cups crushed ice
  • ½ teaspoon rum extract
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: Caramel sauce, sprinkles, or sliced banana for topping

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth, thick, and creamy. Garnish with desired toppings and serve immediately!

Recipe Notes

*For purposes of calculating nutritional information, I used my favorite IdealLean Cake Batter protein powder, which has 80 calories and 0 grams of sugar per scoop. You can substitute with a similar vanilla or cake batter flavored protein powder, but the nutritional stats will change. As an alternative, I also like Quest Vanilla Milkshake protein powder in this recipe.

You can find rum extract in the baking aisle of most grocery stores (near the vanilla extract).

COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:

  • Don't forget to freeze your banana! The frozen banana adds great thickness and a creamy texture to the protein shake.
  • Make this a chocolate banana smoothie by using chocolate protein powder and about 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder!
  • Blend in any of the healthy mix-in’s listed above for a nutritional boost. For instance, I often toss in some spinach, giving my breakfast a healthy does of veggies (without impacting the taste of the smoothie).
  • If you’re preparing this healthy smoothie for kids, you can omit the protein powder and substitute with Greek yogurt. Since the protein powder adds not only thickness, but also flavor to the smoothie, you’ll want to use a sweetened vanilla Greek yogurt or use a plain Greek yogurt and add your own sweetener, to taste. The taste and texture of the smoothie recipe with yogurt will not be quite the same as the protein powder version, but your family will still love it!
  • Keep the healthy smoothie recipe low sugar by using unsweetened vanilla almond milk and a sugar free protein powder.
  • I prefer whey protein for flavor and thickness in this smoothie, but if you prefer a plant-based breakfast, you can substitute with a vegan protein powder.
Nutrition Facts
Bananas Foster Protein Shake
Amount Per Serving (1 protein shake)
Calories 197.9 Calories from Fat 13
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1.4g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g
Sodium 416.6mg 17%
Potassium 592.4mg 17%
Total Carbohydrates 28.5g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3.1g 12%
Sugars 14.4g
Protein 21.8g 44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This post was originally published in February, 2015. It was updated in January, 2019.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.  I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

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15 Comments
Filed Under: Breakfast, Fitness and Nutrition Coaching, Snacks, What We're Eating
Tagged With: banana, breakfast, Healthy, nutrition, protein, shake, smoothie, snack, yogurt

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. brenley says

    February 10, 2015 at 9:02 am

    Love a good protein shake recipe!! Thanks for sharing at Treasure Box Tuesday… totally pinning this one!

    Reply
    • Blair says

      February 10, 2015 at 11:53 am

      Thanks for the pin, Brenley! This is a good one!

      Reply
  2. Carole says

    February 10, 2015 at 10:51 am

    Does this every look delicious! I love bananas and mixed with protein powder and Greek yogurt, this is the perfect breakfast as far as I’m concerned! Stopping by from Create, Link, Inspire linky party and pinning to Pinterest! P.S. your photography is stellar!

    Reply
    • Blair says

      February 10, 2015 at 11:55 am

      Thanks so much, Carole! I appreciate the pin and your kind words!!

      Reply
  3. Erlene says

    February 10, 2015 at 4:32 pm

    My family would love this. All of us are shake drinkers and this sounds wonderful. Thanks for another great recipe.

    Reply
  4. Ursula @ Home Made by Carmona says

    February 10, 2015 at 8:38 pm

    This looks delicious! Wow, I have such a sweet tooth, and am trying to be healthier, so this is perfect!
    Thanks for linking up with us at The Makers today!

    Reply
  5. sandi says

    February 11, 2015 at 11:25 pm

    Love the recipes, but the pictures of the two boys are the real treasures. Thanks for both.

    Reply
    • Blair says

      February 12, 2015 at 5:35 am

      Thanks, Sandi!

      Reply
  6. Lou Lou Girls says

    February 14, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    Hello beautiful! This looks so amazing. I can’t wait to try it. Pinned and tweeted. Thank you for being a part of our party and we hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm. We can’t wait to party with you! Happy Valentines’ Day! Lou Lou Girls

    Reply
    • Blair says

      February 14, 2015 at 8:59 pm

      Thank you!! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Naomi Pote says

    September 24, 2018 at 11:40 am

    This looks amazing! Can you tell me what protein powder you use? I’ve been looking for a good one for little ones.

    Reply
    • Blair says

      September 24, 2018 at 1:12 pm

      Hi, Naomi! I like either Quest Nutrition protein powder or Ideal Lean protein powder. I’m not sure that they’re kid-friendly, though. If I’m serving a smoothie to my boys, I usually swap out the protein powder and just use Greek yogurt instead. 🙂

      Reply

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I'm Blair! I believe in the power of a simple homemade meal to bring a family together. That's why I share easy, quick-prep recipes that eliminate mealtime stress!

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