Banana Basil Smoothie

May 5, 2008

Pairing banana and basil isn’t too surprising. Think Asian cuisine and you’ll find both prominently featured in various dishes.

When you make this smoothie, you will find the sweet essence of basil comes through as a hint of soft flavor that mingles nicely with banana.

Did you know there are over 60 varieties of basil, and with so many options, you might consider trying - anise, chocolate, cinnamon, clove, lemon, or lime basil. Each have flavor characteristic that reflect their name.

When I made this smoothie, I used sweet Italian basil commonly available at whole foods, specialty stores, or farmers markets. Next time I plan to try one of those exciting basils, like lemon or lime.

And while we’re on the topic of variety, why not consider using those cute red baby bananas. Stir clear of plantains though, they are not suitable to eat raw.

Whichever variety of banana or basil you chose, the combined flavors elevate this smoothie into an exotic treat.

Banana Basil Smoothie

This recipe can easily be double or tripled.

2 ripe bananas, peeled, chopped
10-12 basil leaves
¼ cup filtered water
2 tablespoons agave

Blend all ingredients in a blender until liquefied and smooth.

Serve immediately or chill the smoothie in the refrigerator for an hour or until ready to serve.

Serves 1

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Comments

8 Comments so far

michelle @ TNS on May 6, 2008 Tuesday, 10:45 am
i would never have paired banana and basil in a smoothie, but you’re right, it’s not that strange. i’d freeze the banana first for a frosty treat. (via tastespotting)
jd on May 6, 2008 Tuesday, 1:32 pm
This is such a cool idea! I was just trying to figure out what to do with some extra basil that I have in my kitchen…

I was going to make pesto for the 100th time (which I love), but I wanted to try something different. Plus, I’ve been looking for some new smoothie recipes, which means that your post is perfect for me!

Thanks for the delicious-sounding recipe :)
Amy on May 6, 2008 Tuesday, 3:47 pm
I brought home some beautiful basil from the market today & was wondering what I could do with it other than my usual caprese variations…and WOW! this is the first thing I’ve seen on tastespotting that I’ve literally jumped up & made — mainly because I had 2 blackened bananas in the fridge that needed to be eaten & the previously mentioned basil.

I have yet to try agave (only seen it in 1 store around so far) so I put a small squirt of honey instead.
Ingrid on May 6, 2008 Tuesday, 10:14 pm
Michelle - great idea freezing the banana, plus you can have a chilled smoothie with out needed to refrigerate it. I stopped by your blog and was thoroughly entertained.

JD - your welcome and I hope you will try it soon.

Amy - I’m flattered and glad you made it. About agave: it’s a bit pricey but I believe worth it. You can purchase it at most whole foods markets or online. One online source is http://www.naturalzing.com/
I purchase agave at a health food store near me. It costs about $7 for a 23.5 oz bottle. The brand name I use is Madhava.
Nancy on June 15, 2008 Sunday, 12:50 am
Oh my! I wouldn’t have believed this taste so good if I didn’t muster up the courage to try it. Who would have known. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.

Nancy - I am glad you gave this smoothie recipe a try, and liked it.
Basil « Black Dogs on July 31, 2008 Thursday, 7:47 am
[…] stumbled upon a remarkable recipe for Banana Basil Smoothie by Ingrid @ Raw Epicurean. Try […]
Cheris on August 13, 2009 Thursday, 2:11 pm
I also never would’ve thought about pairing banana and basil. I’ll have to give this a try.
Lauren Michelle Kinsey, Awakening Raw Beauty (Chef Raw-La-La) on August 24, 2009 Monday, 9:30 am
Thank you so much for posting this. I was inspired by it to make Banana Basil Ice-Kream.

http://laurenkinseyraw.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/basil-banana-ice-cream/

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