I thought that mint chocolate chip was my favorite flavor ever. And then I had this Strawberries & Cream Smoothie and I think my mind may be forever changed. It's ultra-thick, sweet, and oh so creamy. I even snuck something green in it... basil! The basil lifts the flavor up to a whole new level. In fact, this smoothie is so good, I may have to start making this one daily.
Oh, and if you add some rum, I bet it would be perfect for those hot pool or beach days. I'm thinking I'll be making a double batch to turn into popsicles soon for a quick make-ahead family treat I know my son will love. (Don't worry, I'll leave out the rum... for his anyway!)
It's dairy free and lightly sweetened with honey and bananas which makes it refined sugar free. That makes it my kind of smoothie.
About the Ingredients to Make this Healthy Strawberries & Cream Smoothie
Strawberries
I prefer frozen strawberries in this recipe. If you only have fresh, pop those pretty red berries into the freezer, tops and all, so you'll have them when you're ready to get started. Yes, you can totally eat the green strawberry tops! I don't normally eat them when I eat fresh berries by themselves because I don't care for the taste myself. But if I'm freezing fresh berries, depending on what for, I leave the tops intact.
Basil
You know it's hard for me to make a smoothie without sneaking something green in it and this recipe is no exception. The basil seriously takes the flavor to a whole new level.
Pistachios
The pistachios add some extra protein... 6 grams to be exact! That's the same amount as an egg. I like to get protein in any way I can get it. Sometimes I even add a scoop of collagen powder to get even more.
Zucchini
Zucchini is one of those vegetables that you can sneak in a lot of dishes and it rarely alters the flavor. Especially when you peel the skin. The skin can make it slightly more bitter. Personally I don’t notice it so I leave the skin on but I call for it to be peeled in this recipe as some may notice the difference.
Banana
I used a fresh banana, but you could use a frozen one instead. Just keep in mind if you do, you may need to increase the liquid in this recipe to accommodate the extra frozen fruit for your blender.
Honey
I'm a big fan of any all-natural sweetener, especially honey. I've made this with dates once and it tasted great but the honey gives it a little more of a creamy flavor which lends itself well to this recipe. Also, raw honey is known for its immune-boosting benefits. We like to get ours at the local farmers market.
Coconut Milk
In addition to protein, I like each of my smoothies to have some sort of healthy fat to make it a well-balanced meal (even though I rarely only have just a smoothie for a meal). The coconut milk provides the healthy fat and is also what makes this smoothie ultra creamy.
How to Make this Smoothie Recipe
It's a smoothie recipe so I'm sure you know what to do... blend baby, blend! But in all seriousness, if you don't have frozen strawberries, you can use fresh but look at my notes above if you swap them out. If you have fresh strawberries and a frozen banana, that could work too.
If you prefer a thicker smoothie, add less liquid. If your blender needs more liquid to move or you prefer a thinner smoothie, add more liquid.
If you make this smoothie, please leave me a comment or tag me on Instagram! @prettyhealthyfamily.
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