Licuados - Banana Breakfast Shakes

When I go into whatever Mexican City office I'm teaching class in every morning, I always see the same break room staples - a water cooler, a coffee pot, and a blender. A blender? Yes, of course, because one of the most beloved breakfasts (and most beloved drinks) here is the licuado - a cold, thick, fruity shake. A licaudo, called such because it is made in a licuadora (blender), is translated as milkshake, but this is misleading because there is no ice cream. On the other hand, it's also quite apt because it is literally shaken milk.

Forget about diet shakes for breakfast. Here, people blend ice, whole milk and fruit to make a homemade breakfast shake for kids and parents on-the-go. The most popular fruit is bananas, but any fruit can be blended in, and some people even include oats and eggs to give themselves a more complete breakfast.

I have discussed my dislike for fruit before, but the ways that some fruits are being prepared here are really making me change my mind.

Ingredients
500 g whole milk (2 1/2 cups)
3 bananas
2 Tbsp. sugar
4-5 ice cubes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Directions

1 - Put milk, bananas, ice, sugar, and vanilla (if using) into a blender.

2 - Pulse on low speed 5-6 times. Then, blend on the highest speed for at least 30 seconds to let it get really frothy.

3 - Drink your licuado immediately (or else the frothiness from blending will become flat).