Plum Smoothie
This plum smoothie combines the bold, tangy flavor of ripe plums with creamy Greek yogurt, sweet banana, and warm cinnamon for a perfectly balanced drink that comes together in just 5 minutes.
Equipment
- High-speed blender - Vitamix, Blendtec, or NutriBullet Pro
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Citrus microplane or fine grater - for fresh ginger
- Tall serving glasses or wide-mouth mason jars
- Reusable straws - optional
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe plums - about 300g or 10.5 oz, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 medium ripe banana - about 120g or 4.2 oz, fresh or frozen
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt - 180g, full-fat or 2% for best creaminess
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk - 120ml, or any milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon honey - 21g, or maple syrup, optional depending on plum sweetness
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger - or a pinch of ground ginger
- 1/2 cup ice cubes - 75g, skip if using frozen banana or frozen plums
- fine sea salt - a pinch
Instructions
- Wash plums, cut in half along the crease, remove pits, and roughly chop into quarters or sixths. Do not peel.
- Peel banana and break into chunks. Measure yogurt, almond milk, and grate the fresh ginger if using.
- Add almond milk to blender first, then yogurt, plums, banana, cinnamon, ginger, honey if using, salt, and ice cubes on top.
- Blend on low for 10 seconds, then increase to high and blend for 45-60 seconds until completely smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust sweetness with more honey or brightness with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired.
- Pour immediately into two glasses. Top with cinnamon, fresh plum slices, or granola if desired. Serve right away.
Notes
- Use the ripest plums you can find. Look for plums that give slightly when pressed and smell sweet and fragrant. Underripe plums will produce a harsh, overly tart smoothie.
- Freeze your banana for a creamier result. Peel ripe bananas and freeze them in a zip-lock bag. Frozen banana adds a thick, almost ice-cream-like texture without needing as much ice.
- Always add liquid before solids. Pour the almond milk into the blender first to create a vortex that pulls solid ingredients down toward the blades more efficiently.
- Don't over-blend. Blending for too long on high speed generates heat that can slightly warm the smoothie. Aim for 45 to 60 seconds on high.
- Taste your plums first. The sweetness of plums varies enormously depending on variety and ripeness. Always taste before adding honey so you don't over-sweeten.
- Chill your glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes before blending to keep the smoothie cold longer.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute Greek yogurt with coconut yogurt and use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Store leftovers in a sealed mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Shake vigorously before drinking as ingredients will separate.
- Make smoothie packs by combining chopped plums, banana chunks, and spices in a freezer bag. In the morning, dump contents directly into the blender with yogurt and milk.
- To freeze for later, pour leftover smoothie into ice cube trays. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Re-blend with a splash of almond milk when ready to use.