A peanut butter smoothie is a blended beverage that contains peanut butter. The drink can be healthy if made with whole ingredients and not a lot of added sugar and is usually a good source of protein and calories. Some people drink a peanut butter smoothie as a quick breakfast or as a snack before a workout.
The one thing all recipes for a peanut butter smoothie require is peanut butter. Typically, recipes call for smooth peanut butter, as the chunky variety will produce a drink with an unpleasant texture. A few tablespoons (15 to 30 grams) of peanut butter should be enough for a single serving. More peanut butter will make the smoothie too thick to drink and will add a lot of fat and calories.
Many peanut butter smoothies contain bananas as well. The banana acts as a thickener in the drink and adds some fiber as well as potassium. Usually, the banana is frozen first so that the smoothie is cold. Some people also decide to add chocolate to a peanut butter smoothie. Unsweetened cocoa powder blends the easiest and adds the least amount of sugar.
Other add-ins to a peanut butter smoothie include flax seed, which boosts its omega-3 content and slightly thickens it. Flavors such as almond or vanilla extract deepen the flavor of the drink without sugar or calories. For a bit of caffeine, a person may add a splash of coffee or instant coffee granules to the drink. Ice can be used to thicken and chill it, though some people believe it waters down the drink.
The liquid added to a peanut butter smoothie is usually milk. As peanut butter has a lot of fat in it already, many people decide to use skim or low-fat milk rather than whole milk. To further contribute to the nutty flavor of the drink, a person may decide to replace regular milk with almond milk. Other types of non-dairy milk, such as soy, may be used as well.
People who are looking for even more protein in their smoothie may add a small amount of whey protein powder to the ingredients. A small amount of plain yogurt also adds protein. Extra protein makes the smoothie a suitable snack for restoring muscle after a workout.
To make the smoothie, a person assembles all the ingredients into a blender and then purees them until liquified. Smoothies don't keep very well and should be consumed right away. For a quick breakfast, a person can put all the ingredients except ice in the jar of a blender overnight and then puree in the morning.