This Chia Banana Boost Smoothie is a copycat recipe from the menu of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Creamy, refreshing and loaded with nutrients, it's easy to see why the Chia Banana Boost is their most popular smoothie. And, now you can make it at home!
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Smoothies are a great meal prep option. With this Chia Banana Boost Smoothie recipe, you can easily roast a bunch of bananas ahead of time and freeze them. Pop them in the blender along with the other ingredients for an easy grab-and-go midweek breakfast. Weekends are for pancakes!
Top Tip: You might also enjoy Peanut Paradise Tropical Smoothie.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- There's no refined sugar
- It's gluten free
- It's vegan
- It's easy to make
- It makes a great meal prep option for busy mornings
- It's packed with vitamins and minerals!
- It's super tasty
- If you love Tropical Smoothie Cafe smoothies, this is the perfect recipe for you. You might also enjoy The Island Green Tropical Smoothie, which is another popular Tropical Smoothie Cafe copycat recipe.
Ingredients
- Roasted Banana: Roasting bananas caramelizes them and makes them extra sweet. And, the good new is that baking them doesn't change their nutritional value. They're still high in potassium, riboflavin, niacin and fiber.
- Almond Milk: Lots of people wonder if almond milk is healthier than cow's milk. And the answer is yes! Cow's milk has slightly more protein, but not a significant enough amount to make a difference to your daily intake. Almond milk has Vitamin D, which cow's milk does not. If you want to substitute a different plant based milk, feel free. I've made the Chia Banana Boost Smoothie with oat milk and with coconut milk, and both were great!
- Rolled Oats: Oats have so many health benefits. They're packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Plus, they're gluten free.
- Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is rich in protein and magnesium, which may have heart protective benefits. It also contains omega-6. I recommend getting a natural, unsweetened brand of peanut butter for optimal health benefits.
- Shredded Coconut: Aside from the contribution of an awesome tropical flavor, coconut contains protein, some important vitamins, and is notably high in manganese.
- Date: Dates are great natural sugar substitute. They have a lot of fiber that you won't find in sugar, which means any glycemic spike is mitigated by the additional sugar.
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are considered a superfood for a reason! They're packed with fiber, protein, omega 3 fatty acids and various micronutrients.
- Cinnamon: A dash of this warm, exotic spice really warms up this smoothie.
- Ice: Ice makes your smoothie extra thick and creamy. If you use the meal prep option of freezing your roasted bananas, just reduce the amount of ice you use until you get the consistency you prefer.
How To Make A Chia Banana Boost Smoothie
- Preheat your oven to 300 F (150 C). Line a small baking tray with parchment paper.
- Rinse your banana and poke a few holes in the peel with the tines of a fork. Put it on the baking tray and pop it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. You'll know it's done when the peel is black and shiny. Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool. Alternatively you can air fry your bananas.
- When the banana is cool enough to handle, slice into it with a knife and scoop the insides into your blender.
- Add all of the ingredients except the ice to the blender and blitz it until it's smooth.
- Now add the ice to the blender and blitz it until your Chia Banana Boost Smoothie is thick and creamy.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If so, I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @thisdailydish. Or, leave me a comment below. It makes my day, and your feedback helps other readers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in The Chia Banana Boost Smoothie?
In this recipe, there are 569 calories per serving.
Is The Chia Banana Boost Smoothie gluten free?
Yes, it is! Just make sure that the oats you use are gluten free (usually they are).
If You Liked This Recipe, You're Sure To Like These Easy Vegan Recipes
Triple Berry Smoothie - No Bananas
Air Fryer Hashbrowns From Scratch
How To Order Vegan Drinks At Starbucks
The 10 Best Vegan Egg Replacers
๐ Recipe
Chia Banana Boost Tropical Smoothie
This Chia Banana Boost Smoothie is a copycat recipe of the famous smoothie on the menu at The Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Smooth and creamy (and super healthy), it's sure to make a satisfying grab-and-go breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 roasted banana *see instructions
- 1 cup almond milk
- ยผ cup rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
- ๏ปฟ8 almonds finely chopped
- 1 date pitted and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1ยฝ cups ice cubes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 ยฐF (150ยฐ C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil.
- Rinse the unpeeled banana and transfer it to the baking tray. Using the tines of a fork, poke a few sets of holes in the banana peel. Bake for 15-25 minutes, or until the skins are black and shiny.
- When the banana is cool enough to handle, slice the peel and scoop the roasted banana into the blender. Make sure that the banana is cool before adding the other ingredients. *see note 1
- Add all of the ingredients except the ice to the blender and blend until smooth. Add the ice and blend until thick and creamy. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I like to batch roast bananas and freeze them. To freeze, just allow them to cool, scoop out the insides and freeze for two hours on a parchment lined baking sheet in individual servings. Transfer the frozen banana portions to reusable freezer bags and mark them with the date.
Nutrition
Calories: 569kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 17gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 514mgPotassium: 884mgFiber: 14gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 86IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 452mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Nikki
I love this recipe, thank you so much for posting it.
Keri Bevan
Hi Nikki, Glad you liked it! Thanks for letting us know about the substitution you made. That really helps other readers!
Raven P
What about if I want the strawberry version instead of the peanut butter? Do I just add strawberries?
Keri Bevan
Hi Raven, For the strawberry version of the Chia Banana Boost smoothie, omit the peanut butter and cinnamon. Hope that helps!
Colin.D
Approximately how many Oz's is the smoothie this recipe makes? Trying to get my ingredients just right.
Keri Bevan
Hi Colin, This should make about 16 ounces. Hope that helps!
Sean
I just now prepped for it which was super simple and fun, currently waiting on bananas to cool. But my question is about the cal to kcal conversion. 569kcal seems off if the conversion of 1 calorie= 0.1 kcal. So the calorie intake would be twice as much and would over exceed the recommended daily calorie intake for both male and female calorie plans. Is the measured calorie suggestion accurate?
Keri Bevan
Hi Colin, I'm glad it was easy to prepare! This is one of my favorite smoothies. One kilocalorie is another way to express one calorie, so there are 569 calories in this smoothie recipe, which would fall within the acceptable calorie range for both male and female calorie plans. Have a look at this article for more information on calories and kcals. Hope that helps, and I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Melissa
Anyone tried this with almond butter? I love this smoothie at TSC, but we have a peanut allergy in the house.
Keri Bevan
It should definitely work with almond butter. Let us now how it is!
Jeanine
What a great recipe for easy on the go breakfasts or those times you need a flavoursome boost in the afternoon...I love this recipe
Jenn
I never thought of roasting the bananas, but I bet that's even better than raw! Gonna start doing that with all my smoothies - thanks for the great tip and this yummy sounding recipe.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
We love making banana peanut butter smoothies and absolutely LOVED the addition of the coconut in this one! Such a yummy way to start the day.
Monique
First I want to thank you for sharing this recipe! I can't wait to make it! It's one of my favorites from tropical cafe! I have a couple of questions: Does it matter if the oats are quick oats or old fashioned oats? And would it matter if the dates are fresh or the ones that look dried that you can buy in a package?
Keri Bevan
Thanks, Monique. Both oats will work, and same with the dates! I hope you like the smoothie.
Giangi Townsend
The best smoothie ever!!! A must-try at home. Rich in flavor and so delicious. Thank you for sharing
Keri Bevan
Thank you Giangi!
Priscilla
Hi! So this is my favorite smoothie! Do you think I can use PB powder instead of actual peanut butter? Just to save in the calories?
Also, does it matter if the coconut is sweetened? I only have sweetened on hand so just curious. Thanks!
Keri Bevan
Hi Priscilla, I love this smoothie too. I haven't tried it with PB powder, but I think it should work. Also, sweetened coconut should be fine. Let us know how it goes with the peanut butter powder.
Nikki
I use pb powder and it works just fine and tastes the same.
Joy Smith
This is my new favorite smoothie and now I don't have to worry about an elaborate breakfast
Marcellina
What a great combination of flavors and I particularly love the idea of roasting the banana first! Thanks for the meal prep tip!
Agnieszka
I love that this smoothie uses oats because it's satiating enough for a meal. Plus, it's super delicious!
Amy
I'm always looking for new smoothie ideas and I'm glad I found this one. It has everything I love all in one recipe!
Keri Bevan
Thanks Amy! So glad you liked the recipe.
Gloria
I love a smoothie for lunch. This sounds deliciuos. The addition of chia makes is very satisfying.
Keri Bevan
Hi Gloria, I love smoothies for lunch too:) Hope you enjoy this one.
Elizabeth
This smoothie is sooooo delicious and perfect for breakfast! Will definitely be adding it to the weekly rotation!
Beth
This is one of the best smoothies I've ever had. I love Tropical Smoothie, and this definitely hit the mark spot on.
Keri Bevan
Hi Beth, Thank you:)
Traci
Yumm! I love this tropical smoothie! So easy and delicous. And of course, healthy! Thanks for sharing ๐
Keri Bevan
Hi Traci, Thank you so much for your feedback!
Savita
This smoothie sounds so healthy and delicious, perfect breakfast option.
Natalie
Great smoothie. I love added oats and chia. Sounds so healthy! I can't wait to give this smoothie a try tomorrow morning.
Helen
The addition of roasted banana sounds amazing! Great recipe ๐
Keri Bevan
Thanks Helen!
Nicole
This was perfect! Iโve been wanting to make this smoothie at home for a while, and this tasted exactly like the one from Tropical Smoothie.
Keri Bevan
Hi Nicole, I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you for letting me know.:)
Monique Alexis
I've read the rave reviews on this recipe! However, I'm curious to know if anyone has tried this recipe without roasting the bananas... if so, how ripe was your banana and how does the flavor compare to the roasted one and/or the one from tropical cafe...