Banana Oats Milkshake
- 5 min prep
- 10 min
- Blend
- Serves 2
- 310 kcal
- 10 g protein
A thick, cold breakfast shake: ripe banana, toasted oats, dates, almonds and chilled milk, blended smooth. Sweet with no added sugar, ready in ten minutes.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (25 g) rolled oats
- 2 ripe bananas (240 g peeled), sliced and ideally frozen
- 1½ cups (370 ml) chilled toned milk
- 3 soft dates, pitted (25 g)
- 8 almonds (10 g), soaked if you have time
- ¼ tsp cinnamon or cardamom powder
- 4 ice cubes (optional)
Method
- 1Dry-roast the rolled oats in a small pan on low heat for about 2 minutes until they smell toasty and turn faintly golden. Let them cool for a minute.
- 2Put the oats, almonds and dates in the blender jar with ¼ cup of the milk. Leave for 3 minutes so the oats and dates soften.
- 3Blend this into a smooth paste, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides.
- 4Add the banana, the rest of the milk, the cinnamon and the ice cubes.
- 5Blend on high for 40 to 60 seconds until completely smooth with no oat specks.
- 6Check the thickness. Add a splash of milk for a thinner shake, or another few pieces of frozen banana for a thicker one, and blend again.
- 7Pour into two glasses and serve straight away.
Notes from the Department
- Frozen banana slices give a thick, ice-cream-like shake without diluting it with ice.
- Grinding the oats and dates with a little milk first is what stops the shake turning gritty.
- Drink it within 20 minutes; oats keep thickening as the shake stands.
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrate
- 55 g
- Fat
- 7.2 g
- Fibre
- 6.1 g
- Sugars
- 32 g
Why this works
Oats make a milkshake into breakfast. A quarter cup gives the shake body and staying power, and toasting it for two minutes takes away the raw, cereal-box taste. Blending the oats, dates and almonds with a little milk before the rest goes in breaks them down fully, so the finished shake is smooth rather than sandy.
Ripe bananas, the ones with brown spots, and soft dates handle all the sweetness. That keeps this a no-added-sugar drink that still tastes like a treat. Freeze sliced bananas in a box the night before and you get a cold, thick shake with no ice watering it down.
Swaps
Use full-cream milk for a richer shake, or oat milk or almond milk to make it dairy-free. Add 1 tbsp peanut butter for a nuttier glass, or 1 tsp cocoa powder for a chocolate version children like. A spoon of soaked chia seeds thickens it further. Quick oats can go in without roasting. If gluten is a concern, choose certified gluten-free oats.
Serving
Have it on its own on a rushed morning, or with a slice of toast or a bowl of poha when you have five more minutes. It also works as an after-school drink. This is best fresh; if you must make it ahead, keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 6 hours and shake well, adding milk to loosen.
Questions people ask
- Can I make an oats milkshake without sugar?
- Yes, and this one has none. Ripe bananas and dates give enough sweetness. If your bananas are not ripe, add one more date.
- Do I need to cook the oats for a milkshake?
- No. Rolled or quick oats are safe to blend raw. We toast them briefly for flavour and soften them in milk so they blend smooth.
- Why is my oats milkshake gritty?
- The oats were not broken down enough. Blend the oats with a little milk first into a paste, then add the rest, and blend for a full minute.
- Can I make it without milk?
- Yes. Use oat milk, almond milk or soy milk in the same amount. The shake will be slightly lighter in body.
Inspired by Recipe Dekho. Method, notes and photograph by the Ministry of Oats.
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