#MeatlessMondays – Shake It Up With a Banana Smoothie

Batido de platano (banana shake) is something we all take for granted back home. It wasn’t until I moved abroad that I realized people’s morning ritual didn’t necessarily include this drink. This was also the case with the fresh orange and papaya juice that is so common in Peruvian breakfast tables, but apparently not so much in other countries.

Growing up, I used to have a banana shake as my morning energizer at least a couple times a week, if not every day. To this day, my father drinks a banana smoothie as soon as he wakes up, without exception. But as I said, this is not so much a family tradition, as it is a cultural thing.

I thought it would be fun to share this delicious and filling elixir with those of you who don’t have it as a breakie regular. Some people in Peru even drink it as part of a popular weight-loss plan. One banana and milk smoothie a day helps them lose weight and keeps them slim, or so they say. If not for any other reason, you may want to try it for this (only if you need to shed a few pounds, of course!).

Always seeking to make things a bit different and healthier, I made my banana shake with homemade almond milk instead of using dairy. I also added a few tablespoons lucuma powder simply because I love lucuma (bear with me, I’m Peruvian), and also because it’s a superfood full of nutritional goodies, something that is always welcome in my kitchen. Lucuma powder is what gave it that earthy look. For the original taste, simply replace almond milk with regular milk, skip the lucuma, and add a teaspoon of vanilla essence if desired.

And there you have it: a regular and a vegan banana shake. Pick either one and enjoy the rest of your day.