This blueberry pancake smoothie takes all the tasty flavors of a ricotta blueberry pancake and uses them in a more nutritious smoothie form! Plus, it’s packed with nutritious greens.
Disclosure: By posting this Wild Blueberry Pancake Smoothie recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America and I am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
As much as I love a blank slate when it comes to brainstorming recipes, sometimes I end up in the kitchen staring at the fridge and freezer thinking “what the heck should I make”? It’s like gastronomic-style writers block.
When I saw a recipe contest pop up that a) sounded fun, b) was sure to result in a delicious treat, and c) focused on a certain ingredient – well, I knew I could get down with that. Concentrating on a particular ingredient in a specific style of dish always helps me get that culinary creativity flowing.
In this case, the ingredient of choice is wild blueberries and the style of dish is a smoothie, for the Wild Blueberry Association of North America’s second annual Wild Your Smoothie Recipe Contest. YUM.
If you’ve never tried wild blueberries, you’re missing out. Most people are used to the cultivated (planted) blueberries that you’ll find fresh at the supermarket. Wild blueberries are a little different – they are not planted for harvest, but instead grow wild in barrens in Maine and Canada. They are smaller than cultivated berries and have a more intense flavor, as well as additional fiber and antioxidants.
Because of their delicate nature and the antioxidant value, the large majority of wild blueberries are frozen at harvest to keep peak nutritional and flavor value. You can find them at your grocery store by just looking for “wild” on the label of the frozen fruit.
For this smoothie contest, I actually tested out quite a few recipes. Some were not so successful. If you’ve ever wondered if wild blueberries, sweet potatoes, and cottage cheese would taste good together in a smoothie – it does not. 😉 Keepin’ it real here; not every recipe is a winner.
However, this wild blueberry pancake smoothie is 100% a winner. If you think about what a blueberry pancake might taste like in smoothie form, this is it. It is amazing.
[Tweet “A wild blueberry pancake SMOOTHIE?! It exists! Enjoy this breakfast treat.”]In this case, I took inspiration from one of my fav kind of pancakes – ricotta pancakes. The ricotta adds a nice creaminess to the smoothie, along with the plain greek yogurt. I didn’t just add them for that creaminess though. Both of these ingredients pack in protein, helping to give the smoothie some sticking power.
Oats add a little texture to the smoothie (along with fiber), and they are also quite reminiscent of pancake flavor. You’ll get intense blueberry flavor thanks to those frozen wild blueberries, plus a little sweetness from the dates and banana. A smidge of maple syrup (optional) adds to the traditional pancake flavor you know and love.
Plus, I snuck some leafy greens in (in this case spinach, but you can use whatever you prefer) for extra vitamins and minerals. A blueberry green smoothie that tastes like a pancake? Yes, mam.
The result is a creamy, delicious smoothie that packs in 10 grams of fiber and 17 grams of protein. You can drink the whole recipe as a meal, or you can split it with a friend for two snack-size servings.
And if you’re a runner or triathlete, you’ll definitely want to bookmark this recipe. It’s awesome for a post-long-workout recovery meal. Many athletes struggle with eating after a long run or ride, but drinking a smoothie is often much easier. This wild blueberry pancake smoothie has both healthy carbs and protein necessary for recovery, in an ideal ratio.
Give it a try asap and let me know what you think! 🙂
Wild Blueberry Pancake Smoothie with Greens
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup frozen Wild Blueberries
- 1/2 ripe banana, frozen
- 2 dates, pitted
- 1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup spinach (or kale, or other leafy green of your choice)
- 1 tsp maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Share with me: Have you ever eaten wild blueberries? What kind of wild blueberry smoothie would you make?
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The colour of this smoothie is so attractive! I would love to enjoy the blueberry smoothie, Chrissy!
Thank you so much! I hope you get a chance to try it 🙂
This is so genius! Blueberry pancakes are such a classic, so I love how you incorporated it into a drinkable form!
Thanks Emily! We could combine my blueberry pancake smoothie with your blueberry pina colada one and we’ve got a blueberry brunch all ready to go! 😉
What a fun recipe idea! I LOVE blueberry pancakes so this is my kind of smoothie!
Thanks Liz!! 🙂
And now I want blueberry pancakes!! Look delicious and thanks for linking up today
Haha, I hope you get a chance to make the smoothie OR make pancakes to satisfy that blueberry pancake craving! 😉
I ADORE THE COLOR! I am a bright color kind of girl, especially when it comes to my food!
Yes, bright colors totally make the food more fun! I mean, if that smoothie was grey, it would just be all BLECK!
Love the pancake smoothie twist! I will have to whip this up for A for sure since she was at Target with grandma and got Blueberry Pancake Captain Crunch Cereal!
Haha, that’s too funny! If you need to vegan-ize, I bet you could use that vegan ricotta you’re talking about on your blog today along with a coconut milk yogurt and it would taste yummy!
I also love adding wild blueberries to my smoothies! Your version looks super tasty!!
Thanks Abbey! Those wild blueberries add such great flavor and color.
This looks so creamy & dreamy! I need to add oats to my smoothies more often 🙂
Thanks Kerri! I know, I always forget how great oats are in a smoothie – they add a nice thickness and help me stay full longer.
Blueberry pancakes are the best. And now I want this delicious smoothie version! So yum.
Hope you get a chance to try it out Tara!
This smoothie sounds great. I love that you added the spinach. I’ve been working on ways to sneak in more veggies for the kids.
Yes, I always try to sneak in some leafy greens! My little one isn’t a fan of them fresh, but he’ll drink ’em up in a smoothie.
i love how filling and nutritious this smoothie is. im so with you, not every recipe is a winner.
Haha, I’ve had a lot of disasters. They seem to have gotten fewer and far between over the years, but they definitely still happen.
Oh my! This looks amazing. I love blueberries! Such a great combo!
Thank you! 🙂
Wow! What a beautiful smoothie! I love that intense blue color and the fun ingredients.
Thanks Julie! I know, the color is great on this one.
this sounds UNREAL. the title caught my eye!!! adding ricotta to a smoothie is genius, i’ll have to try that later this week! thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much Jordan!! If you give it a try, pop back on over and let me know what you think 🙂
Thanks for the unique smoothie recipe. I have so many blueberries from this summer was looking for some new smoothie ideas to switch it up.
Sure thing! Hope you enjoy it 🙂