How’s everyone’s new year’s resolutions so far?
I know a lot of people are trying to eat a bit differently this time of year and maybe inspiration is just kind of meh around the third week of January. The enthusiasm is starting to cool a bit. I find smoothies, juices, herbal tea, and the like really help with transitioning to a feel-good mode of living. They’re just super fresh, ready quickly, and delicious!
I think Em von Euw understands what a huge role juices, shakes, and little wholesome bites can play in personal wellness! Their newest book 100 Best Juices, Smoothies and Healthy Snacks has so many vibrant and delicious ideas to keep anyone satisfied. Em’s passion for inspiring others to feel their best shines through these pages of inspired combinations and clever observations. That contagious enthusiasm will speak to the experienced and newbie health warriors alike.
I took their basic nut milk formula, using walnuts upon their recommendation, and I can tell you with certainty that it won’t be the last time I do that. I’ve made almond, cashew, macadamia, hemp, coconut, and brazil nut milk before, but this here is something special. As soon as I tasted that buttery and toasty milk, I knew I had to mix it with banana, cinnamon, vanilla, and cacao nibs for a creamy-sweet banana bread feel.
Emily’s ratio of nuts to water for homemade non-dairy milk makes for a richer texture, and with this shake it was so decadent, nourishing and perfect. Other things from the book I’m excited to try: the grapefruit mango immune booster, hippie hemp hummus, the herb happiness juice, and the dark chocolate chip, oat and hemp cookies.
If you like this smoothie, you’ll also love my Chocolate Banana Oat Breakfast Smoothie and my Peanut Butter Vanilla Green Shake.
Vegan Banana Bread Shakes with Homemade Walnut Milk
Ingredients
Walnut Milk
- 1 cup raw walnuts, soaked for at least 4 hours
- 3 cups filtered water
Banana Bread Shakes
- 3 cups walnut milk
- 2 cups sliced bananas, fresh or frozen
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- ice (optional)
- pinch sea salt
- 2 tablespoons cacao nibs
Equipment
Notes
- Walnut milk inspired by Emily Von Euw‘s 100 Best Juices, Smoothies and Healthy Snacks
- You could definitely fill this out with a bit of protein powder and other superfood-y goodies to make this more breakfast-appropriate. It totally drinks like dessert :)
Instructions
Walnut Milk
- Drain the soaked walnuts and place them in an upright blender. Add the filtered water to the blender. Blend the mixture on high for about 2 minutes, or until you have a fluid, creamy “milk.” Strain the milk with a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Push the walnut pulp in the strainer with the back of a spoon to get all of the milk out. Pour the strained milk into a sealable container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- The milk will separate, so just shake it every time you use it. Milk keeps in the fridge for about a week.
Banana Bread Shakes
- In an upright blender, combine the walnut milk, sliced bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla powder and maple syrup (and ice, if using). Blend on high until you have a creamy and smooth mixture. Add the cacao nibs and blend for 10 seconds more–just so that you have little cacao “chips” throughout the drink.
- Pour the banana bread shakes into glasses and garnish with toppings if you like. Serve cold.
YUM! Just made this smoothie & it was super delicious. Thank you Laura. Xoxo.
[…] Courtesy of The First Mess […]
Pumpkin Cheesecake with a gingersnap crust would be lovely!
I should also mention that it has been a week since I read this post and I have thought about this smoothie every single day now. xo
Chocolate-mint chip ice cream or after eight chocolates!
I would love to drink red velvet cake or carrot cake!
I’d love a drinkable form of a twix bar, yum!
I would LOVE to try carrot cake or lemon meringue pie in shake form!
Lemon meringue!
I love French macarons, and my most favorite flavor is a honey lavender!! That would be an amazing smoothie let me tell ya!!
Grasshopper cookies!
vegan brownie smoothie!just for chocoholics, topped with banana, nuts or… MORE CHOCOLATE OMNOMNOMNOM :D
I really, really , really would like to be able to drink a healthy version of carrot cake. Favourite cake since I was little!
Carrot cake sounds delicious!
What a great recipe! I would enjoy chocolate cream pie in a drinkable form.
If I had to pick one dessert to have in vegan drink form, it would be maple chestnut cake. It’s not super popular, but it tastes like rich, nutty, dense pancakes. Topped with some roasted pears and maple cream, I really can’t control myself.
Lemon Meringue Pie would be AWEsome as a smoothie!
Pecan pie or gingerbread for sure
Hmmm…That’s a tough one…Maybe Italian cream wedding cake? Or samoa cookie? Or brownie…
Lemon meringue pie! I’m imagining a tart smoothie with a whipped but creamy texture. Like lemons and cream. And an almond streusel on top for some crunch. Spoon vs. straw.
Chocolate brownies
Apple pie!
Linzetorte! Delicious raspberry and hazelnut goodness.
Would a sweet southern cornbread smoothie be weird? Probably. But it would probably also be delicious.
i’d love to see a chocolate chip ice cream cookie sandwich in drinkable form!
Gingersnaps, Snickers or something dark and fudgy!
Snickerdoodle!
Chocolate Chip Cookies in drinkable form! My brain and stomach would explode all in once!
Chocolate chip muffins!
Hmmm..maybe some tiramisu in drinkable form? Loving your photos more than ever on this post!
absolutely beautiful photographs! so lovely to look at. and i would say red velvet cake :)
Yum! I will definitely be making this with the cashews I currently have soaking for milk!
I would love to drink a liquified carrot cake, I love the idea of creamy nut milk with tasty spices.
ooh something like Almond Cake/Marzipan in smoothie form please!!
I never really made any resolutions either. If you don’t make them then you can’t break them, right?! I am now thinking I need to make a resolution to drink more smoothies though, because I don’t drink nearly enough! This banana bread shake sounds like the perfect way for me to start :)
I would love to have chocolate mint pie made into a drink! I absolutely love anything that is chocolate with a hint of mint.
definitely some sort of raspberry coconut crumble!!
Black forest Cake! I make on every year from scratch. Just once. A lot of work. But, how awesome would it be to whip a single serving up in my Vita-mix!
K
This looks incredible!! SO tasty!
French Macarons! Or lemon meringue pie!
Yummy, I would have loved to have been there to help down this shake. I would never refuse a chocolate chai tea treat in a shake. Cheers!