Kefir and blueberry smoothie with chia seeds

Kefir and blueberry smoothie with chia seeds: creamily blended from plain kefir, wild blueberries, banana and a little honey for a fresh start to the day.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 5 min
• No cooking needed
• Total time: 5 min
• Calories: 220 kcal per serving
• Protein: 10 g
• Fat: 8 g
• Carbs: 24 g

Ingredients

• 1/2 banana
• 100g wild blueberries
• 200ml plain kefir
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp honey

Method

You’ll need: blender

1. Peel the banana and briefly check the wild blueberries, rinsing them if needed. Have the plain kefir ready.
2. Put the banana, wild blueberries, plain kefir and chia seeds in the blender. Add the honey last.
3. Blend everything until the smoothie is even and creamy. If you like it a little thicker, let the chia seeds swell briefly.
4. Taste the smoothie. If you'd like it a little milder, balance it with a little more kefir.
5. Leave to stand briefly so the chia seeds can thicken it slightly. Then stir or blend briefly once more.
6. Pour into a glass and serve straight away.

Good to know

Creamy, fresh and pleasantly tangy. A glass like this feels light and still fills you up. For me, it's exactly the kind of breakfast that tastes good without any fuss.

Swaps

1/2 banana → 1/4 avocado (less sugar, more monounsaturated fats, creamy texture) 1 tbsp chia seeds → 1 tbsp ground linseed (more lignans, good fibre, plant-based omega-3 fatty acids) 1 tsp honey → 1–2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon or real vanilla seeds (fewer free sugars, more flavour without extra sweetness) 200 ml plain kefir → 200 ml unsweetened Greek yoghurt or skyr, thinned with a little water (more protein, usually less sugar, still creamy)

Allergens

Contains milk from the kefir; chia seeds are usually well tolerated but swell a lot, so only offer them to young children in a suitable consistency. In pregnancy, pasteurised kefir is the safer choice.

Frequently asked questions

What's in kefir apart from protein?

Depending on the product, kefir provides calcium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and some riboflavin. Many kinds also contain live microorganisms, which are typical of how fermented milk is made.

Are wild blueberries more nutritious than regular blueberries?

Wild blueberries often contain more anthocyanins per weight because they're smaller and have more skin in proportion. The exact content varies with variety, ripeness and processing, though.

Why are chia seeds interesting in a smoothie?

Chia seeds provide fibre, alpha-linolenic acid and minerals such as calcium and magnesium. They bind a lot of liquid, so they noticeably change the consistency too.

Is honey nutritionally much better than sugar?

Besides sugar, honey contains small amounts of other compounds, but it's still mainly sugar. These extras are there, but their nutritional contribution in everyday life is usually fairly small.

Can the smoothie cause problems with a sensitive digestion?

Yes, that's possible: how well kefir is tolerated with lactose sensitivity varies from person to person, unfamiliar amounts of chia seeds can cause bloating, and banana provides fermentable carbs. If you react sensitively, start with a small portion.