Strawberry Banana Smoothie with Oat Milk

This dairy free strawberry banana smoothie is made with oat milk and perfect to cool off with on long hot summer days.

Oat milk has been my favorite dairy free milk since full fat oat milks that don't taste like oats have come out.

After that, I started making hot chocolate with oat milk and coffee with oat milk.

Then, I moved on to cold brew with oat milk and iced coffee with oat milk.

Now I'm obsessed with smoothies with oat milk.

This strawberry banana smoothie has been added to my collection.

If you like this smoothie, you may want to try my strawberry smoothie with oat milk and my banana smoothie with oat milk.

WHY USE OVERRIPE BANANAS?

There are a few benefits to using overripe bananas. 

First and foremost, older bananas give a stronger flavor than fresh bananas - the darker the better.

Secondly, it allows you to repurpose them instead of having food wasted. 

Choosing your Brand

I have tried a handful of oat milk brands and I can tell you, not all oat milks are created equal.

Some brands taste like oats and have the consistency of water. Other brands have a milder taste and are slightly reminiscent of milk. Oatly and Alpro are my two go-to brands.

When I visit New York, I really like Oatly, which I find to taste like regular milk and to be a little extra creamy. I'd assume this is true in Canada too.

In Israel, I only use the barista version of Oatly, which is still more watery than the regular Oatly in the States. I expect it is the same in Europe because that is where it is imported from.

For Israel and Europe, I find the Alpro oat milk indistinguishable from the Oatly Barista. However, the Alpro "Not Milk" oat milk I find to be almost identical to milk but a little sweeter - which I like.

HOW TO FREEZE FRUIT FOR SMOOTHIES

To make smoothies even easier, freeze fresh fruit into portions. 

Cut fruit into pieces and arrange in one layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Slide the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until hard (two to three hours).

Smaller fruit, like berries, I often just freeze whole. It's easier to do this if you know how much you're going to need for a recipe and divide it up into bags.

Do Smoothies have Dairy?

Smoothies don't have to, but they usually contain dairy because they usually are made with milk and/or yogurt.

Can I put oat milk in a smoothie?

Yes, you can use oat milk in a smoothie. Though, depending on how strong the oat flavor is in your milk, you may give your smoothie an oat flavor.

I generally recommend a fully fat neutral flavored oat milk if you're looking for something similar to regular milk.

What Type of Dairy Free Yogurt Should I use?

You should use a neutral or vanilla flavored dairy free yogurt.

Yogurt made from soy, almonds, coconut, and oats all will work fine here.

Can I leave out the yogurt?

Yes, but the smoothie will be less creamy if you do. If you want to leave out the yogurt, replace it with more oat milk.

Make Ahead of Time

You can easily make this recipe ahead of time.

All you have to do is put all the ingredients in the blender, except the milk (and oats, if desired).

Blend it up until it is nice and smooth. Then, pour the smoothie into a freezer safe resealable bag.

Once you're ready to use the smoothie, let it sit out until it's defrosted enough to put into the blender.

Place the smoothie in the blender, add the milk and oats, if desired, then blend until smooth again. Once it has a nice pourable consistency, put it in a cup, and serve.