Ummm… Yum! That’s it – that’s all the words coming to mind at the moment!
Sometimes I feel the need to break out of the green smoothie world and make something decadent – like this dessert in a glass! Banana cream pie is one of my favorite pies, (who can pick anyways, all pie flavors are good) but I don’t often make a whole pie anymore unless we have company to help with the leftovers. 2 people + 8 slices of pie = well you do the math, it’s not that healthy of an equation!
(Since I first wrote this recipe, I’ve come up with a healthier version of Banana Cream Pie as well!)
The secret to the deep flavor of this smoothie is the vanilla bean that’s actually ground right up into oblivion, and it creates an authentic pie flavor that took me by surprise! You see… I have these ideas, (like this smoothie) but an idea doesn’t always translate to reality. I tend to be a bit dubious about whether or not my idea will be everything it’s supposed to be.
For instance, will the smoothie taste a bit health foodie, or will it actually taste like pie? So, I was surprised to say the least when it really did pull through in the dessert department. And the first thing my husband said when he tasted it was – ‘tastes like banana cream pie’ so it’s a win!
It’s best to cut the vanilla bean into pieces to help with the blending. You’ll need a high powered blender to properly grind up a vanilla bean – with any other kind of blender there will be bits of vanilla bean. If you’ve never tried using the whole bean before (most recipes call for only the seeds) I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the awesome flavor!
Money saving vanilla tips:
1. When a recipe calls for the seeds of a vanilla bean, keep the leftover pod in an airtight container to use in your next smoothie. That way, you’re really getting the most out of these expensive little pods!
2. Look for vanilla beans at your local health food store because they’re usually quite a bit cheaper than a regular grocery store!
P.S. If you’re anything like me, you almost always have bananas just past their prime sitting on the counter – and now you have a quick and easy recipe for just that occasion!
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Banana Cream Pie Smoothie
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 2-4 1x
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1/2 vanilla bean, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 (10 ounce) Ginger Gold apple, cored and cut into quarters
- 1–2 cups ice cubes
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Enjoy right away, or refrigerate up to 6 hours.
Notes
If you can’t find a Ginger Gold apple, try a golden delicious or another mild flavored apple. If all else fails a Granny Smith will work as well.
A high powered blender is essential to a smooth texture in this smoothie.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
Yum, this looks delicious! I love finding new smoothie combinations! I recently tried coconut water in something else, and I really liked the thickness it contributed, so I will definitely have to give this a shot! 🙂
Coconut water is one of my favorite new additions to smoothies, I figure it’s a bit more nutrition than just adding water! Hope you enjoy this, I like to make it when I’m tired of green smoothies and just want dessert! 🙂
My aunt used to make Banana Cream Pie for every holiday so these flavors are very nostalgic for me…I’ll definitely be trying this!
We used to have Banana Cream Pie for every holiday too! I still make it on occasion, but this smoothie tides me over in between! 🙂
Okay, so, when we come to your house…. 😀
For sure!!! Remind me to make sure we have the ingredients on hand when you come to visit! 🙂
Banana, apple, coconut milk and coconut water…sounds like the perfect smoothie!
It’s just a little bit addictive! 🙂
Do you think vanilla bean paste would work as well as the vanilla bean? Love my little Nutri-Bullet blender but not sure its up for the job as a Vita Mix would be.
I think vanilla paste would give you a similar result, let me know if you give it a try!
So pretty! Love the idea of the vanilla bean. I agree, the green smoothies get ho-hum sometimes and it would be great to have dessert for breakfast!. Thanks!
Sometimes I’m just craving sweets for breakfast and these kinds of recipes really help keep my on track!
This banana creme smoothie looks absolutely amazing, I just love the color, so pretty. It would be amazing to serve at a baby/wedding shower too instead of the traditional (icky) fruit punch. Agreed on the pie issue, even with 2 little kids, 8 slices of pie goes no where good fast! This is why I never bake cookies/brownies/anything (my kids are deprived, right?!) You can only eat so much junk food, that’s why recipes like this are so special, satisfy your cravings without unnecessary sugar and blah.
It seems there’s always more than enough junk food occasions, that’s why I love anything even remotely healthy to help curb my sweet tooth! 🙂