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This Banana Bread Protein Shake is an excellent liquid lunch option. And, if you couldn’t tell by the name, it tastes a lot like banana bread. Frozen banana mash, vanilla, cinnamon, and a medjool date provide that banana bread flavor. Protein powder, nonfat Greek yogurt, and walnuts provide the strengthening protein. [This post contains affiliate links] Jump to Recipe
I’m not sure I like the term “liquid lunch”. I think it reminds me of hospital time when I was stuck with liquids or pureed food. But it’s a very accurate phrase to describe this shake. I had it around 11:30 in the afternoon and it kept me fueled and full until 3:30. Also it’s delicious. There is no resemblance to hospital food or even typical protein shakes (yuck).
If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you might know I had a little hiccup with my jpouch and digestive system. It scared me enough to go on a liquid diet for a day. I’m mostly better now but I’m still supplementing one meal with liquids, like this Banana Bread Protein Shake.
For years I’ve been tailoring a banana bread recipe. It’s close but the reason it’s taking so long is that I don’t make it that often. I’m in continual awe of bloggers who focus only on baking and desserts. How do they do it?
If I don’t get a dessert recipe right the first time, it will probably be a whole year before I try it again. Because even though I have a pretty big sweet tooth, baking AND eating sweets tends to send me into a sugar high. And then a crash and burn coma.
So with this Banana Bread Protein Shake, I get all the yummy taste of banana bread, not nearly as much sugar, a TON of protein, a super speedy lunch, and energy with no big crash.
Banana Bread Protein Shake has:
346 calories
33 grams of protein (heck yeah!!!)
9 grams of fat
21 grams of sugar
*I input all my recipes into My Fitness Pal for my own health routines and these numbers are based on that.
The sugar is still kind of high (banana and medjool dates) but I think the other benefits outweigh that slight default. Enjoy!
Banana Bread Protein Shake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk I used unsweetened soy milk
- 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, plain I used Fage Total 0%
- 1/4 cup frozen banana*
- 2 scoops (28 grams) vanilla protein powder I used Tera's Whey Bourban Vanilla Whey Protein
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
- 1 medjool date, pit removed
- 1 tablespoon walnuts
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour and serve. Top with cinnamon and walnuts if desired.
Banana bread in a shake…LOVE! This looks incredible!
Thank you! It’s by far my most favorite shake I’ve ever made.
A terrific mix of ingredients – and I love that theres no added sugar. Thanks for sharing!
Heck, I could even slurp this down for dessert! Sounds so good!! And I love sweet treats that work for breakfast as well. Perfect!
This sounds great! It’s funny, when I read the title of your recipe I thought it was so unusual to add banana bread to a smoothie. Oh, I get it now! My brain is a little slow today!
This may be my new workout shake and such a delicious idea.
These photos are magnificent. I am always looking for new protein recipes. This is definitely something I will try. What an amazing post!
OhM GEEEEE Meg! This looks absolutely incredible. Liquid lunches are my absolute favorite as it makes it easy to continue on with my day with straw in mouth. I know it’s bad to not take down town for lunch. . .but habits die hard. I can’t wait to give this beauty a try.
Thanks Lynn! I’ve totally rediscovered my love of liquid lunches and smoothies! I was dead tired of them for a while but now that craving is back! And I totally know what you mean-I always like to work and eat at the same time instead of taking down time for lunch.
I keep seeing frozen banana smoothies.. and I can NEVER remember to freeze my bananas! Oy! I need to start doing that. This sounds amazing- I had the stomach flu last week and I’m still not feeling quite right, so I think this might just be my dinner. I’ve got hemp protein powder in my fridge.
(And I KNOW- I don’t know how baking and dessert bloggers do it. I seriously bake maybe twice a year lol, and hardly ever make dessert!)
I know-there’s so many good ones out there. And I started the habit of mashing and freezing bananas that are too ripe to eat because of that very problem! Waiting for sliced bananas to freeze is so annoying. I hope you start feeling 100% better soon!