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Ube Blueberry Kefir Smoothie
This is the drink-it-on-the-way-out-the-door cousin of our ube smoothie bowl. Plain kefir brings a gentle tang and live cultures, frozen blueberries and banana make it cold and thick without ice, and a spoonful of rolled oats and chia seeds turns it into a breakfast that actually holds you until lunch. The ube powder does two jobs: it rounds out the tartness of the berries with its nutty, vanilla-like sweetness, and it pushes the color from berry-red toward a deep, velvety violet. A few drops of ube extract are optional, but they make the ube flavor come through clearly next to the blueberries.
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Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Plain Kefir, Low-fat or whole; unsweetened keeps the sugar in check
- 1 cup Frozen Blueberries, Wild blueberries give the deepest color
- 1 whole Frozen Banana, sliced, Peel and slice before freezing
- 2 tbsp Ube Powder, Sifted to avoid clumps
- 0.25 cup Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats, Use certified gluten-free oats if needed
- 1 tbsp Chia Seeds, Plus a pinch extra for topping
- 1 tbsp Honey, Optional, to taste
- 0.25 tsp Ube Extract, Optional, for a stronger ube aroma
- 2 tbsp Toasted Coconut Flakes, For topping
Instructions
- Soak the Oats and Chia Pour the kefir into the blender jar and stir in the rolled oats and chia seeds. Let them sit for 5 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge) so they soften and blend completely smooth instead of leaving a gritty texture.
- Add the Fruit and Ube Add the frozen blueberries, frozen banana, sifted ube powder, honey, and ube extract, if using.
- Blend Until Silky Blend on low for a few seconds to break up the frozen fruit, then on high for 45-60 seconds until completely smooth and thick. If it's too thick to pour, add a splash of water or milk and blend again.
- Pour and Top Pour into two tall glasses and top with toasted coconut flakes, a pinch of chia seeds, and a few extra blueberries. Serve right away.
Pro Tips
- Don't skip the short soak. Five minutes in the kefir is what lets the oats and chia disappear into the smoothie rather than leaving little seeds and flakes behind.
- Kefir is thinner than yogurt, so frozen fruit is what gives this its thickness. Using fresh banana or thawed berries will give you a thin, runny smoothie.
- Blueberries are tart and slightly bitter, which can mute the ube. If the ube flavor isn't coming through, add another teaspoon of ube powder or a couple more drops of extract rather than more honey.
Variations
- Dairy-Free Version: Swap the kefir for unsweetened coconut or almond milk yogurt thinned with a little plant milk. You'll lose the probiotics from kefir unless the yogurt lists live cultures.
- Protein Boost: Blend in a scoop of vanilla protein powder and an extra 1/4 cup kefir to keep it pourable.
- Brighter Purple: Replace half the blueberries with frozen blackberries or add a tablespoon of ube halaya for a richer, more dessert-like glass.
Nutrition (estimated, per serving)
322 calories · 58g carbs · 11g protein · 6g fat · 31g sugar · 8g fiber
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this the night before?
Yes, with one tweak. Soak the oats and chia in the kefir overnight in the blender jar in the fridge, then add the frozen fruit, ube powder, and honey and blend in the morning. Blending everything the night before works too, but it will thicken into more of a pudding and lose some of its frosty texture.
Why does my smoothie look more blue-gray than purple?
Blueberry skins can turn blue-gray when blended with dairy. Wild blueberries, a little extra ube powder, or a few blackberries all push the color back toward violet, and serving it right away helps too.
Recommended Ingredient
Fil-Choice Powdered Purple Yam (Ube Powder) — read our review.