Toasted Oat and Pecan Smoothie Recipe

I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely on a New Year’s smoothie kick right now.

Each Sunday, I stock up on nutritious goodies to use in my mid-morning smoothies.  Greens, fruit, nuts, seeds, and the such.  I’ve been experimenting a lot recently, trying to hone my weekly lineup.  I’m the type of guy who loves to switch up flavors regularly.  I can’t drink the same smoothie all week long!

One of my favorite discoveries so far is this Toasted Oat and Pecan Smoothie recipe, prepared in partnership with the American Pecan Council.  Start with old-fashioned oats and pecan halves in a hot oven.  After just 10 to 12 minutes they’ll start turning golden brown as they release an intoxicating toasty aroma.  Once cooled, the oats and pecans go into a blender with milk, Greek yogurt, frozen bananas, cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup.  Everything is blitzed until smooth, then finished with a sprinkling of nutmeg and crumbled pecans.

This smoothie is thick, rich and so satisfying.  The toasted oats and pecans add warm notes of caramel and brown sugar while the Greek yogurt provides a pleasant tang.  Banana, cinnamon, maple and vanilla complement the oats and pecans without overwhelming.  If you are loving smoothies as much as I am right now, then you really need to give this a try.  Continue reading for the recipe.

The bulk of this smoothie consists of oats and pecans, so it’s really filling.  You could enjoy one of these for breakfast and have nothing else!  The good folks over at the American Pecan Council provided me with some other interesting nutritional facts about pecans:

• A handful of pecans – about 19 halves – is a good source of fiber, thiamin, and zinc, and an excellent source of copper and manganese – a mineral that’s essential for metabolism and bone health.
• Pecans contain a valuable package of protein, healthy fats and fiber, which can help you stay fuller longer, making it easier to manage your weight.
• In each 1-ounce serving you’ll get 12 grams of “good” monounsaturated fat, with zero cholesterol or sodium. Compared to other nuts, pecans are among the lowest in carbs (4 grams) and highest in dietary fiber (3 grams) per serving.

I’ve always loved pecans, because of their naturally sweet flavor, but now I’m loving them even more, because of all their health benefits!

Here are some of my other smoothie recipes on Kitchen Konfidence:

• Mint and Green Tea Smoothie
• Spice Apple and Oatmeal Smoothie Bowl
• Orange Carrot Chia Smoothie

Print

Toasted Oat and Pecan Smoothie Recipe

Servings 2 servings

Author Brandon Matzek

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup whole milk*
• 1 cup whole Greek yogurt
• 2 bananas, cut into slices and frozen
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt

Grated nutmeg, for topping (optional)

Crumbled pecans, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Place oats and pecan halves on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake in the oven, stirring occasionally, until toasted and fragrant (12 - 15 minutes). Let cool completely.
2. Add toasted oats and pecans to a blender, and blend until finely ground. Add milk, yogurt, frozen bananas, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of salt, then blend until smooth. Divide between 2 glasses and top with grated nutmeg and crumbled pecans if using. Enjoy immediately.

Recipe Notes

* You can use lighter milk and yogurt if desired here.

This post was written in partnership with The American Pecan Council.  All thoughts, opinions and recipes are my own.  Connect with The American Pecan Council on Instagram and Facebook.