Banana Milk (vegan, dairy-free)

Banana milk is a delicious nut-free, dairy-free milk alternative. With only two-ingredients it’s quick and easy to whip up at home. All you need is bananas, water and a blender.

When it comes to non-dairy milks there are lots of options available. But most, including the ever-popular almond milk, are made from nuts.

If you’ve been following Downshiftology for any length of time you know that my favorite nut milk is cashew milk. Especially as it’s so easy to make at home and there’s no need to strain it. But still, there’s nuts. Oat milk and hemp milk are delicious nut-free options, but today I have something even easier – banana milk!

A Nut-Free Dairy-Free Milk Option

So what’s someone with a nut allergy or sensitivity to do? Well, you could drink coconut milk, flax milk, hemp milk, quinoa milk or oat milk. Of course, there’s also soy milk, but I don’t recommend soy milk due to it’s GMO and pesticide-laden base, along with high estrogenic qualities. There are also some newer plant-based milks on the market, made from pea protein, though I’ve yet to give those a try.

But good news – I have a new option for you and one you can make at home (that’s super cheap) and takes 30 seconds – banana milk.

Easy Banana Milk Recipe

I remember drinking banana milk as a kid as I was obsessed with all things banana flavor. Unfortunately, back then it was dairy milk with a few heaping tablespoons of Nestle Quik Banana Flavor. This banana-flavoring wasn’t readily available in the US (chocolate and strawberry were the main flavors here), so on every family trip to visit relatives in New Zealand we’d stash a few cartons of it in our suitcase to bring home.

Out of curiosity, I just looked up the ingredients for that old Nestle Banana Quik product and it’s literally sugar, chemicals and emulsifiers (ugh, no surprise, eh?).

So today I have a far more natural banana milk for you, because it’s literally two ingredients – bananas and water. It’s delicious, banana-y and perfect for those who are looking for an alternative to nut milks.

It’s also healthy as bananas are full of potassium, electrolytes and other nutrients. But remember that if you do use banana milk, don’t top your cereal with banana slices. Bananas are naturally sweet for a reason, they’re full of sugar and carbs (not a bad thing, but something you don’t want to go overboard on), so opt for a variety of other toppings.

Banana Milk Tips

If you’ve never made homemade banana milk before, here are a few tips:

• Slice your bananas and freeze them before blending. A high-powered blender (like my Vitamix Ascent 3500) heats things up pretty fast, so frozen bananas will keep your milk cool.
• If you forgot to freeze your bananas, add 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of ice.
• Banana milk is not a shelf-stable milk, meaning it will separate and discolor quite quickly. So only make it right before you plan to drink it or top it on your cereal.
• Remember that banana milk is not a banana smoothie, so don’t expect it to be thick. It’s definitely a more watery, milky consistency.
• Use ripe bananas for natural sweetness. I find you don’t need to add much else, but you could certainly add a smidge of maple syrup, 1-2 dates or a splash of vanilla extract. You could also add a sprinkle of chia or flax seeds and/or cinnamon or nutmeg spices as well.

So here’s what I do with my banana milk. Because I don’t have a nut sensitivity, I’ll usually add a tablespoon of almond butter or cashew butter along with a sprinkle of chia seeds and top it on cereal and oatmeal. Alternatively, I’ll keep it plain and top it on my Macadamia Muesli or Paleo Porridge for a lovely banana flavor that’s reminiscent of my childhood…but with a healthy new approach. Enjoy!

Banana Milk

4.84 from 18 votes

Prep Time: 2 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 minutes mins

Servings: 1 serving

Author: Lisa Bryan

Print Pin Review

Banana milk is a great dairy-free and nut-free milk alternative. All you need are bananas and water, but you can get creative with optional flavorings as well.

Ingredients

1x2x3x

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 frozen banana
• ▢ 1 cup water

Optional Ingredients

• ▢ maple syrup
• ▢ dates
• ▢ vanilla extract
• ▢ chia or flax seeds
• ▢ nut butter
• ▢ cinnamon or nutmeg
• ▢ sea salt

Instructions 

• Add bananas, water and any optional ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend for one minute. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Lisa's Tips

• I prefer to drink banana milk right away, but you can store it in the fridge for up to two days. Just remember that it will separate and discolor slightly. Give it a shake before you use it.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 1.3g, Fat: 0.4g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 1.2mg, Fiber: 3.1g, Sugar: 14.4g

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Banana Milk, Nut Free Milk, Vegan Milk

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