This delicious and healthy strawberry kefir smoothie makes the perfect easy breakfast or snack! Made with probiotic rich kefir and naturally sweetened, it's a smoothie you can feel good about drinking every single day. And your gut health will thank you!
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A nice big, tall, glass of a kefir smoothie is one of my favorite easy and healthy breakfast ideas. Not only does it take such little time, but I know that I'm feeding myself (and my toddler) a good dose of probiotics, protein, and fruit. Anyone who has been through the picky toddler years know that this is practically a miracle!
In fact, I can even get my toddler to drink a good amount of my Kefir Green Smoothie, and he doesn't seem to make the connection that the brilliant green hue is from the spinach, and not because it is a magical Hulk smoothie. But that can be our little secret, right?
A Healthy Breakfast or Snack
I don't just serve up yummy kefir smoothies for breakfast though, they make a frequent appearance as a snack or even as a side to a light lunch. They are so easy to make, and check all the boxes for a healthy drink any time of the day. I've been drinking kefir now for about 5 years, and your body just starts to crave it after a while. There is something so satisfying about a fruity and slightly fizzy breakfast smoothie after a long night of little sleep, and a long day ahead of chores, meal prep, and work.
Getting my day off to the right start with a strawberry kefir smoothie, or even a mango pineapple kefir smoothie, gives me the boost of energy I need to do all of the things. Don't get me wrong, I totally need my coffee too, but kefir really helps support me nutritionally and keep me full so I can focus on doing what needs to be done. And for me, that's what breakfast is all about!
Ingredients
- Strawberries: While I recommend using frozen strawberries, you can use fresh if that is what you have on hand. Just throw a few ice cubes in with your smoothie to help thicken it.
- Kefir: You will need about 1 ½ cups of milk kefir. I used my homemade kefir, but you can use store bought or even coconut kefir.
- Maple syrup: this is a great natural sweetener with a subtle taste when used in smoothies. It's one of my favorites, but you can use honey or leave it out completely if you like a tart taste.
How to Make a Strawberry Kefir Smoothie
Start off by adding your milk kefir to the jug of a high powered blender. While I hope to have a Vitamix someday, I have a Ninja Professional right now and it does a great job for the price!
Add in the maple syrup, if using, and according to the level of sweetness you like. You can always add more later if the smoothie needs a little more sweetness.
Add in the frozen strawberries. If you're using fresh strawberries, be sure to add in 2-4 ice cubes to help thicken the smoothie.
Blend until smooth and all of the fruit is broken down.
Pour into a large glass, or two small glasses, and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
Natural sweeteners: If you don't have pure maple syrup on hand, you can use a variety of natural sweeteners. Honey, date syrup, coconut sugar, and sucanat are all simple choices that will work well. Maple has a lighter flavor, so consider that some of the options (like honey and date syrup) have stronger flavors which will impart on your finished strawberry kefir smoothie.
Other fruit smoothie options: You can use 1 ½ cup of any fruit of your choice in place of the strawberries in this recipe! Frozen fruit works best, but this is an easy base recipe for any fruit and kefir smoothie. Berries, mango, and pineapple are all good options to start with.
Milk kefir substitutes: If you don't have milk kefir, you can use coconut kefir for a dairy free option. Alternatively, you can use ½ cup of thick Greek yogurt and 1 cup of a milk of your choice (almond, cashew, cow's, oat, etc) to replace 1 ½ cups of milk kefir in a recipe.
FAQ
While frozen fruits help provide a thick texture, fresh fruits can be used if desired. It's a matter of preference whether you like a thick smoothie, or a thin drinkable beverage. A mix of fresh and frozen can provide a balance of a thick and drinkable smoothie, and might be a good option for those who like a slightly (but not super) thick smoothie.
Yes, it's totally okay to blend kefir! It will not harm the probiotics to blend kefir in a home blender with fruit, natural sweeteners, or any add in's like chia or flax.
Yes! One of the best ways to get used to the tart taste of kefir is in smoothies. Fruit covers the tartness, and blends into a creamy and drinkable smoothie that is perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack option.
Yes, you can mix fruit with kefir. You can do a second fermentation of milk kefir using fruit, OR you can add it after the fact to make a fruit kefir smoothie.
Since kefir is a living food, it will continue to ferment in the fridge. If you give it natural sugar to feed off of (like fruit), it will ferment more quickly and you will get a slightly effervescent taste. This is perfectly fine to drink, but may not be preferred by everyone. For that reason, I recommend drinking your smoothie within 1-2 days.
More Kefir Smoothie Recipes
- Mango Pineapple Kefir Smoothie
- Kefir Green Smoothie
- Blueberry Oatmeal Kefir Smoothie
- Basic Berry Kefir Smoothie
- Very Berry Kefir Breakfast Smoothie - Farmhouse on Boone
Strawberry Kefir Smoothie
This probiotic rich and healthy Strawberry Kefir Smoothie is made with just 3 simple ingredients and makes the perfect easy breakfast or snack smoothie!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups milk kefir
- 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups frozen sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Add the milk kefir to the jug of a high powered blender.
- Add in the maple syrup, according to your taste. You can always add a little more later if needed.
- Add in the strawberries. If using fresh rather than frozen, include 2-4 ice cubes to help thicken the smoothie.
- Place the lid on the blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a large glass, or two smaller glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
Natural sweeteners: If you don't have pure maple syrup on hand, you can use a variety of natural sweeteners. Honey, date syrup, coconut sugar, and sucanat are all simple choices that will work well. Maple has a lighter flavor, so consider that some of the options (like honey and date syrup) have stronger flavors which will impart on your finished strawberry kefir smoothie.
Other fruit smoothie options: You can use 1 ½ cup of any fruit of your choice in place of the strawberries in this recipe! Frozen fruit works best, but this is an easy base recipe for any fruit and kefir smoothie. Berries, mango, and pineapple are all good options to start with.
Milk kefir substitutes: If you don't have milk kefir, you can use coconut kefir for a dairy free option. Alternatively, you can use ½ cup of thick Greek yogurt and 1 cup of a milk of your choice (almond, cashew, cow's, oat, etc) to replace 1 ½ cups of milk kefir in a recipe.
Serving: This makes one LARGE serving, or two regular sized servings. If I'm using this as a meal, it serves one adult. If I'm serving alongside a light breakfast or lunch, it can easily serve two.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 715mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 5gSugar: 54gProtein: 19g
Nutrition information is an estimate only.
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