Looking for a way to keep your cool this summer? Oats are a morning favorite around here, but there’s just something about a refreshing fruit smoothie that seems to call my name on these hot summer mornings. And I can still get the whole-grain goodness of oats in this tasty Blueberry Cardamom Coconut Smoothie!
Disclosure: This recipe and blog post were created in partnership with The Quaker Oats Company. I was compensated for my time. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Street Smart Nutrition!
Is it hot enough for you yet?!
I never thought I’d say this, but after the winter we had in the Midwest, I’m more than ready for some long summer days with plenty of sunshine and…ahem…humidity. All the snow and ice were just brutal to deal with, and we didn’t get hit as badly as other parts of the country. Ironically, for as much as I hate ice on the road, I sure do love it in my smoothies!
I teamed up with Quaker to share this simple and refreshing morning smoothie that contains the whole grain goodness of oats.
Now, bear with me here because it might sound a little unusual to be adding whole grains of any kind to a smoothie. But the way I see it, oats can provide goodness any time of day, no matter if you’re looking for something savory or sweet, hot or cold. They’re a nutritious blank canvas to inspire some culinary creativity in the kitchen, which is exactly what I did with this flavor combo of blueberries, cardamom and coconut. Cardamom is, IMO, an extremely underrated flavor – I just love it!
Not only that, but old fashioned oats are actually one of my favorite ways to incorporate more fiber into smoothies. Oats have a unique nutrition profile with a balance of both soluble and insoluble fiber. And a 1/2 cup serving of oats is considered a good source providing 4g of total fiber – I know I harp on fiber a lot, but it’s one of those things that most of us simply don’t get enough of!
Now, the fiber isn’t the only reason I’m a fan. That 1/2 cup serving is also going to provide you with vitamins and minerals like vitamin B1, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese. And I know, I know, it makes perfect sense that as a dietitian, I’d be on board with anything that adds nutrition like that.
Kefir is a fermented dairy product that is similar to yogurt and offers a slightly tangy flavor and creamy texture. It’s what makes this smoothie especially thick and creamy once blended.
I’m also asked quite often about alternatives to yogurt in smoothies. I personally use whatever I have on hand to add that creaminess when I blend my smoothies, but to each their own. There are plenty of folks out there who prefer to use something other than yogurt or who simply want to mix up their routine! If you’re sensitive to dairy or choose to avoid it for any reason, there are also some really interesting options for plant-based kefir that you can substitute with as well.
Here’s the recipe for Blueberry Cardamom Coconut Smoothie
Blueberry Cardamom Coconut Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ medium ripe banana
- 3/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
- 3/4 cup plain or vanilla low fat kefir
- 1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ice for blending to desired consistency
Instructions
- Add a layer of ice cubes to the bottom of a high speed blender. Layer all remaining ingredients on top of the ice, the cover and pulse several times.
- Once the ice cubes are broken apart, blend on HIGH until fully blended. Pause to scrape the sides of the blender if needed. If texture is too thick, gradually add a small amount of water until desired consistency is reached.
- Pour into a glass, serve immediately.
Nutrition
If you’re curious to learn more about the whole grain goodness of oats and some great smoothie recipes, be sure to check out resources from Quaker. And I recently shared more about the various types of oats on Instagram, which you can check out HERE.
I’m excited to continue my partnership with Quaker to continue learning more about one of my favorite ingredients. They’re the leading experts in oats, committed to combining science, scale, passion and expertise, and dedicated to research and education. In fact, later this summer I’ll have a chance to see their process first hand when I visit their mill in Iowa. I can’t wait to share more with you! There are few things I enjoy more than learning about where my food comes from and talking face-to-face with the people who feed us. Rest assured, I’ll be bringing plenty of questions I want to have answered and relaying everything I learn back to you!
In the meantime, let’s raise a toast to the official beginning of summer and all the refreshing ways we can keep cool now that the hot temps are here to stay!
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