Prep time: 10 minutes

Clean up time: less than 5 minutes

Serves: 2 toddler servings or one adult

Stores in fridge for 2 days

As I said with my last recipe, mornings are usually a frazzled scrambled mess in our house, rushing to get everyone fed and out the door on time. I was really struggling to get Jensen to focus on breakfast and eat enough, especially on the days we needed to get out the door for daycare. That is where the inspiration for this breakfast smoothie came from. It’s basically a bowl of porridge with loads of fruit and extra goodies in it. If we are running really late he can even drink it in the car on the way, genius! It has made breakfast time much easier and he now regularly requests his ‘breakfast smoothie’. It would also make a great breakfast for adults too.

Joey’s Toddler Breakfast Smoothie

INGREDIENTS

1 cup filtered water
1 cup oat milk (or other plant-based milk)
2 ripe bananas
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup quick cook oats
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon cacao

INSTRUCTIONS

-Combine all of the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend on high for 30-60 seconds.

-If the smoothie seems too thick add 1/2 cup more plant-based milk or water and blend again.

-Pour into a toddler friendly cup and serve.

-This will make about 800mls which I find equals about two toddler breakfast servings.

-Store the remainder in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days (I use a large glass jar).

Ingredient Tips:

-This really is just a base recipe to get you going. If there are other fruits, nuts, and seeds you prefer then feel free to swap them in and experiment! I find having the banana/mango base means most other ingredients have their flavour masked which is great for sneaking in extras.

-I’ve also made it with sunflower seeds, walnuts, chia seeds and I even tried spirulina once. The colour wasn’t great (it was definitely leaning more towards grey) but Jensen still enjoyed it!

-I use quick cook oats because they blend easier, but any form of oats would work. I find adding the oats makes it into more of a meal than a drink, and fills Jensen up for longer.

-Jensen usually has about 400mls of this smoothie for breakfast. If he doesn’t finish it all, I top it up with oat milk and offer it to him during the rest of the day.

-It’s great that this recipe makes two days worth of breakfasts. This means on the second morning it’s ready to go, which is ideal for when we are rushing to get out the door like usual!

Nourishment

This smoothie really covers all your toddler’s (and your own!) breakfast needs, it is bursting with nutrition.

Oats - Are a great source of fibre, protein, magnesium, zinc and iron.

Blueberries - Are a little powerhouse of nutrition. They are considered a superfood and are one of the most nutrient dense berries on earth. They are high in fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K. They also have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants and help protect against heart disease and cancer.

Sesame Seeds - I have only just discovered sesame seeds and they are amazing when it comes to nutrition. They are tiny but packed full of nutrients and minerals. They are high in fibre, magnesium, iron, zinc, and selenium. They are also a really great source of calcium and one tablespoon will provide about 15% of a toddler’s RDA.

Nutritional Yeast - Isn’t very common in New Zealand but is often used in vegan and plant-based cooking. It has a nutty, cheese-like flavour and boasts ample nutrition. It is a complete protein which means it contains all nine essential amino acids and one tablespoon contains two grams of protein. A fortified version is also a great source for B vitamins, especially B12 which can be hard to get from plant-based foods. On top of this it also contains trace minerals like zinc and selenium. It is a great extra to throw into smoothies (and other cooking) to really boost the nutritional content.

Cacao - is a true super food and contains antioxidants, flavonoids, fibre, magnesium, calcium and iron. Although cacao doesn’t contain caffeine it does contain stimulating compounds, so may not be suitable for very small children. It could easily be omitted or substituted for carob.

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or health professional. I have completed a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from eCornell and have done in-depth research about plant-based living. The information I trust is mostly sourced from medical professionals that are leading the way in this plant-based revolution. Check out my recommended page for more info.