Strawberry Banana Smoothie

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenStrawberry Banana Smoothie

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	5 minutes	Total Time	5 minutes
Servings	4	Cost Per Serving	$1.90

2 cups	Milk (or non-dairy alternative)
1/2 cup	Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese
1	Banana, roughly chopped
1 cup	Strawberries, Fresh or Frozen
2 tbsp	Peanut or Almond Butter
1/2 cup	Skim Milk Powder
1 tbsp	Honey (optional)
1/2 cup	Oat Bran

PDF link to nutrition facts table for Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Getting fruits and vegetables into your diet when you have trouble chewing or swallowing can be a challenge. Smoothies are a great way to add these nutritious foods to your diet to get the fibre, vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients you need for good health.
If you are experiencing treatment side effects that make it difficult to eat full meals, eating smaller, more frequent meals every 2 or 3 hours is important to help you get the calories and protein you need. If you are only eating small amounts at a time, make every bite count by choosing high-calorie, high-protein foods such as nut and seed butters, fish packed in oil, and full fat dairy products. Nut butters may be difficult to swallow, but they blend nicely in smoothies.
It can be challenging to eat enough fibre-rich foods when you have chewing or swallowing difficulties, as many high-fibre foods are bulky, chewy or very filling. Try adding oat bran to smoothies or hot cereal to add fibre to your diet. A tablespoon of oat bran has 2.5 grams of protein and 2 grams of fibre. The fibre in oat bran helps to prevent constipation, reduce risk of colorectal cancer, and lower cholesterol. It may also lower blood pressure and inflammation.