Prune Smoothie with PBJ Twist

Rich in that peanut buttery flavor that brings back memories of childhood and sweetened with natural fruits, this California Prune Smoothie with a PBJ Twist  is soon to be your favorite on rotation this year! Filled with good-for-you foods, like California Prunes, this drinkable delight not only promotes bone and gut health, but also is a win-win that the entire family will love! 

Disclosure: I’m thrilled to collaborate with California Prunes on this sponsored recipe. As always, all opinions are my own! Thanks for supporting the work that keeps the Shaw Kitchen running! 

Jump to:

• Why You Need This California Prune Smoothie In Your Diet
• What You Will Need
• How to Make This Banana and Prune Smoothie  
• Keep These Notes In Mind to Make this Your Own 
• Prune Smoothie Benefits 
• Other Prune Recipes You Will Love 
• Prune Smoothie

There’s nothing like the possibilities of a fresh start, right? Endless opportunities that allow you to fill your cup (figuratively and literally speaking) with whatever brings you the most joy. If you’re like me, that includes focusing more on the positive lifestyle changes that will not only benefit the health of you and your crew, but also bring you MORE TIME … something we could all use more of!

Why You Need This California Prune Smoothie In Your Diet

Positive changes start with fueling your body right. Just like you can’t start a car when the tank is on empty, you can’t function at your prime when your body isn’t receiving the fuel it needs. 

Here’s why you need to add this prune smoothie into your regular routine.

Nutrition that fuels your lifestyle. California Prunes are a hidden gem when it comes to nutrition. Not only do they contain important vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin K, potassium and magnesium, that help support overall health and nutrition, but they also pack 3 grams of fiber per serving (a nutrient many Americans are falling short on.) Plus, they’re a low glycemic food that has zero added sugars and are good for your gut and bone health.

Easily customizable. This smoothie fits with almost every diet! Plus, If you need more protein, you can certainly swap in cow’s milk or add a scoop of your preferred protein powder.

It takes less than 5 minutes to make. Seriously, what person couldn’t use a little more time added back into their day? Prep this for breakfast with one of my crowd pleasing Banana Bread Muffins, serve it as a quick snack, or alongside an Egg Sandwich for dinner.

Mess free clean up. Have you tried this blender cleaning trick? Simply add water and a spritz of dish soap in the blender, then run through one quick smoothie cycle. Rinse with running water and let air dry on your dish rack! Viola, it’s ready for use again tomorrow! 

What You Will Need

Strawberries: Frozen strawberries are available year round at most major markets which make them an easy addition to this smoothie! But, you can also use frozen, pitted sweet cherries, blueberries, or your preferred berry of choice. If you have a ton of fresh berries that need to be used, simply wash, pat dry, then freeze for future use in the smoothie. 

Banana: Before freezing your banana, slice it into ½-inch pieces so it’s easier to uniformly blend. 

Cauliflower: For convenience, frozen riced cauliflower works the best in this recipe. Note, if you are of the belief that “CAULIFLOWER DOES NOT BELONG IN A SMOOTHIE,” you can skip this. But, don’t knock it until you try it (seriously, 9 out of 10 Americans still aren’t eating enough fruits and veggies!) 

California Prunes: Choose pitted, California grown prunes for best quality. To reap the full nutrition benefits of prunes, aim for 4 pitted prunes in your smoothie. 

Milk: Unsweetened oat or almond milk pairs nicely with this recipe, but feel free to use your preferred milk of choice. Soy and pea will add more plant based protein, while cow’s milk will do that as well (but will not be suitable for dairy allergies or those who follow a vegan diet.) 

Peanut Butter: Unsweetened natural peanut butter is what we typically use, but feel free to use whatever your preferred peanut butter brand is! And, if you’re trying to lower the caloric value, you can also swap in two tablespoons of powdered peanut butter as well.

Honey: Clover honey is usually the variety I use in smoothie and oatmeal recipes, but feel free to use your preferred honey on hand. If you’re vegan, swap this for maple or date syrup. 

How to Make This Banana and Prune Smoothie  

Yep, it’s a smoothie friends, but it doesn’t require a degree in rocket science to make! 

But, here’s a quick tip for those adjusting to the prune consistency and taste. Try heating your prunes for 20 to 25 seconds in the microwave, covered with ¼ cup of milk. This will help soften them up and create more of a uniform consistency the first go around when you are blending the ingredients. And, yes, follow the steps below! Blending the California Prunes with the liquid and cauliflower first will help ensure the final consistency (and flavor) is just like the PB&J classic you crave! 

Keep These Notes In Mind to Make this Your Own 

This smoothie is easily customizable to work with your own dietary needs! Keep these tips in mind to modify based on what you have on hand/prefer.

• Milk: To make this vegan, I like using an unsweetened almond or oat for the creamy consistency. You can also use soy or cow’s milk for more protein. If you prefer a thinner consistency, increase milk volume to 1 ½ cups. 

• Cauliflower: Frozen riced cauliflower is a great way to sneak in some veggies early in the day. If you don’t have riced, you can freeze a fresh floret and shave it with a knife to create your own “riced” version before tossing in the blender. Feel free to increase this to ⅓ cup as well if you, like me, can’t taste it!

• Strawberries: Swap in your preferred berry or cherry of choice! Just make sure it’s frozen to help with the cold, creamy consistency. 

• Honey: This smoothie is naturally free of added sugars, but if you are adjusting to the smoothie taste with various fruits and veggies, adding a teaspoon or two of honey, maple or date syrup is totally fine too! 

Prune Smoothie Benefits 

California Prunes are a crowd pleaser that you certainly want to add to your healthy swap staples because they pair so perfectly with both sweet and savory dishes alike! 

Here’s a quick 4-1-1 on prunes:

• They contain important antioxidants (hello beautiful purple hue) that keep your immune system strong and your GI system running smoothly.
• California Prunes also support bone health (something we should think about sooner than later as we age!) 
• Yes, they really can help relieve constipation and keep you regular when consumed as part of your diet. 
• They’re a natural fat free, sodium free, and low glycemic food that’s filled with natural sugar.
• Plus, a serving of prunes (4 to 5) has less than 100 calories! 

Other Prune Recipes You Will Love 

Craving something savory? Checkout my Charcuterie Salad made with a Sweet Balsamic Dressing that gets its body and flavor from California Prunes.

Want more chocolate in your life? Then you need to add my No Bake Brownie Protein Bar in your life.

Looking for more ideas? Then checkout the collection of healthy recipes on California Prunes .org! 

If you try this recipe, would you please do me a favor and leave a star rating in the recipe box and/or comment below! This helps immensely in Google to continue delivering high quality content to you. And please be sure to tag and share what you made with me on social, I love seeing your creations! You can find me here: Instagram – Facebook – Pinterest!

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