Creamy Blueberry Kefir Smoothie
This cool, creamy blueberry kefir smoothie comes together in seconds with unsweetened kefir, frozen blueberries, banana, flaxseed meal, and almond butter. It’s a satisfying, delicious, and nourishing breakfast or snack full of probiotics and prebiotics.
What is Kefir?
Kefir is a cultured or fermented milk product made from the milk of a cow or goat. It’s made with colonies of bacteria and yeast that ferment the milk, giving it a thick texture and sour, tangy flavor. It’s similar to yogurt but has a thinner consistency, making it a great substitute for milk in a smoothie.
The bacteria and yeasts in kefir are the same as those in your gut, so they help enrich your gut microbiome. Kefir is a nutritious whole food and a good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, and other nutrients. Those nutrients and kefir’s gut health benefits also make it one of my favorite foods for better bone health.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed to make this creamy smoothie. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Kefir. Look for this near the yogurt at the grocery store. Make sure you buy plain because flavored kefir is high in added sugar.
Frozen blueberries. These add fiber and delicious flavor. Blueberries are also rich in polyphenols, natural plant compounds with antioxidant and prebiotic properties. Prebiotics are compounds in some plants that nourish and support the probiotics in your gut.
A greenish (underripe) banana. Greenish bananas are lower in sugar and higher in prebiotic fiber than ripe bananas.
Flaxseed meal. Ground flaxseeds are rich in healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Research suggests they may help manage cholesterol, diabetes, menopause symptoms, and more. Check out my lemon coconut flaxseed protein balls for another tasty flaxseed recipe.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute any other frozen berries for the blueberries. Strawberries or mixed berries are both delicious.
- For more protein, add a scoop of unflavored or vanilla protein powder.
- Add a handful of baby spinach or kale for some vegetables (you won’t taste them!)
- Swap peanut butter or any other nut butter for the almond butter. Or omit it for a nut-free version.
- For a dairy-free kefir smoothie that still provides probiotics, use kefir water instead of kefir milk. It’s often made with coconut water.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Combine the ingredients in a bullet or regular blender. If your banana is frozen, put everything in the blender, but let it thaw for about 5 minutes so the banana can soften a bit. That makes it easier to blend.
2. Blend until smooth. About 20 seconds should do it. Stir it and if you have any chunks of fruit, blend for another 10 seconds. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
Use greenish (underripe) bananas for the most prebiotics. Since they don’t stay green for long, peel them as soon as you buy them, break them in half, and keep them in the freezer stored in an airtight freezer bag.
A frozen banana will make your smoothie extra cold and creamy.
Flaxseed meal absorbs liquid and forms a gel-like consistency, so don’t use too much more than one tablespoon per smoothie. Your smoothie will get a little bit thicker as it sits.
Use leftover plain kefir to make lemon herb kefir salad dressing. Because it’s rich in lactic acid, it also makes a great tenderizer for chicken. Add your homemade dried herb mix to the kefir and marinate chicken breasts for a few hours.
What Goes With a Kefir Smoothie?
If you’re hungry for something more, serve these breakfast or snack ideas with your smoothie.
- 5-minute pesto eggs
- Microwave egg breakfast bowls
- Buckwheat pancakes
- Air fryer apple chips
- Homemade baked honey nut clusters
Recipe FAQs
Both are healthy choices for your gut microbiome, but kefir comes out ahead because it contains a wider range of beneficial bacteria than yogurt. Yogurt typically contains only two to four different strains of bacteria, while many brands of kefir have 10 or more strains.
Kefir made from regular cow’s milk is very low in lactose because the bacteria in kefir break down much of the lactose. However, it’s not lactose-free. Kefir water is dairy and lactose-free.
Other Ways to Use Kefir
If you have leftover kefir, try it in these recipes.
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Blueberry Kefir Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup plain kefir
- 1/2 medium frozen banana slightly underripe for more prebiotics
- 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal ground flaxseeds
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
Instructions
- Place the kefir, banana, frozen blueberries, flaxseed meal, and almond butter into a blender and blend for about 20 seconds or until smooth.
- The smoothie will thicken as the flaxseed meal absorbs some of the liquid.
Notes
Nutrition
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