This healthy smoothie bowl is fun to create, decorate and devour. It will satisfy your sweet tooth and kill cravings until lunch.
I have a lot of things to thank the healthy living blogger community for. Besides being a wealth of information and inspiration I can blame the blogosphere (and Instagram) for my obsession with nut butter, the revelation you can put it on sweet potatoes, the reason I bought (and now love) my food processor, the fact I know about and consume crazy awesome superfoods like hemp and chia seeds (and turmeric, and spirulina, and coconut everything) and of course: Smoothie Bowls.
For a long time I wasn’t that into smoothies. I just prefered to chew my food. But this summer açaí bowls were blowin’ up my instagram feed and they essentially looked like a healthier version of froyo. After getting my paws on one, I basically had a smoothie epiphany, and realized that if I could make them thick enough to eat with a spoon and decorate them with delicious superfood toppings, then well we had a deal. Smoothies were in.
A lot of my former hesitation about smoothies came from my belief that they had a lot of added sugar from juices or sugary yogurts and that they couldn’t keep you full. However, making them with almond milk, coconut milk or unsweetened kefir has proven a delicious solution to the added sugar problem and using a plant based protein (like Vega (my go-t0) , Sun Warrior or Plant Fusion) solves the staying full dilemma.
My secret to making my smoothie bowls thick, creamy and addicting (in the best possible way) is perfecting the banana freeze. I typically buy a dozen bananas at a time to make sure I always have nanners getting perfectly ripe to freeze. To create the perfect frozen banana wait until it’s got it’s “cheetah spots.” This level of ripeness means the banana will be nice and sweet and help balance all that awesome kale and spinach you’ll want to throw in your blendah. I typically add a 1 1/3 medium sized frozen bananas to each smoothie bowl as a base. From there I’ll add 1 1/2 cups of berries, cherries or mango. Then a big ol handful of spinach (sometimes kale) but I find that spinach is milder and blends better. I put a scoop of either chocolate or vanilla vega protein powder, a tsp of vanilla extract and a splash of either almond milk or kefir to help things blend. I usually like to add as little liquid as possible and keep adding if the blender needs a little help. It’s good to remember that you can always add more liquid but you can’t take it away. Once the smoothie is all blended up, I like to pour it into my favorite wooden or glass bowl and that’s when the decoration begins!
Lately my favorite toppings have been unsweetened coconut, unsalted roasted sunflower seeds, hemp seeds and almond butter. The fun part is creating your design. Typically I like to create a half moon shape with the different toppings starting with the coconut, then sunflower seeds, followed by the hemp seeds and finally the inner circle is the almond butter.
Now that Spring is coming I’ll finally feel less crazy for dreating (drink/eating) a smoothie bowl every morning. If you ever snap (and instagram) any pics of your beautiful creations pretty please tag me so I can see them!
My handle is @init4thelongrunblog – warning I post a lot of smoothies 😉
- 1 1/3 frozen banana
- 1 Cup of frozen cherries
- 1/2 Cup of raspberries
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1 scoop of plant based protein powder
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 3-5 oz of kefir or unsweetened almond milk
- Toppings:
- 1 tbsp of unsweetened coconut
- 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp of hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp of almond butter
- If using a traditional blender add almond milk then place fruit in blender, add spinach, protein powder and vanilla extract.
- (If using a bullet add liquid last)
- Blend until smooth
- Pour into a bowl
- Sprinkle or arrange your toppings
- Dig in!
Your Turn:
- How do you like your smoothies? Drinkable or spoonable?
- Have you ever discovered a food or product you liked through a blog or instagram?
Yum, I have all of these things, but I’ve never tried a smoothie bowl! I am on the hunt for better protein powder. We currently use Amazing Meal (vegan) Vanilla Chai, and it’s chalky and a little too strong. I’ve seen you mention Vega a few times, I think I’d love to check that one out next! 🙂
Once you go bowl you won’t go back 😉 Let me know if you try (and like) the Vega! I’d suggest starting with the vanilla or chocolate (chocolate is a little less sweet which I like) or natural if you don’t like the extra flavor.
Also toppings on smoothies just changes everything
Thanks! Is it the “Protein & Greens” powder, or the “All in one shake” ? I think chocolate would be amazing…could always sweeten with a banana or dates!
It’s this one: http://myvega.com/product/vega-one-nutritional-shake/ – it’s great in baking too
“Baller” is the only way I can think to describe your smoothies/smoothie bowls, fuh real. 🙂
“For a long time I wasn’t that into smoothies. I just prefered to chew my food. ” <– that is so me! But I find that making smoothie bowls (over smoothies) allows me to add toppings and feel more like I'm EATING.. does that make sense? I tend to drink cold refreshing things super quickly (it's curtains when I'm drinking margaritas, haha), so dumping it in a bowl makes me savor it more : )
Good call on the cheetah spots! I knew you'd spill your secrets eventually=)
I’m totally with you on the drinking thing. For some reason if I’m eating something I can savor it pretty well, but if it’s a drink I just inhale it. Sometimes with smoothies especially if you drink them too fast you can get a stomach ache which is why I like to throw ’em in a bowl and take my time.
Love love love the cheetah spots thang! That’s totally the key. Oh and blending the heck out of them and topping them with ALLLL the toppings!
Toppings take a regular smoothie to the next level! Helps fight any cases of smoothie boredom (which have yet to happen) too
Ok, I’ve NEVER had a smoothie in a bowl. I need to give into Instagram/blog peer pressure and try it because everyone loves it. I guess I don’t like eating things that are too cold? Not too sure haha. I’ve discovered SO many new brands of nut butter through blogging/instagram. I want to thank everyone for opening my eyes to the amazingness. The TJ’s you have pictured is my current fave.
I haven’t found an plain almond butter as perfect as TJ’s – Whole Food’s brand comes pretty close though. It drives me nuts when brands add extra palm oil or sugar.
Frozen bananas in the food processor make an awesome dessert too if you’re not in the mood for an iced cold breakfast.
I used to feel the same way about smoothies too, but now that I’ve perfected mine and made them creamy, crunchy, and hearty, and of course I can eat them with a spoon…I’m a happy camper. I never though of adding unsweetened coconut…I’ll need to try that ASAP!
Sometimes when I’m feelin’ extra crazy I’ll throw the coconut into the blender at the end to get it all mixed into the smoothie. So good.
1. The cheetah trick is spot-on! (sorry, couldn’t help it 😉 But I agree that’s when bananas are perfect for freezing!)
2. This is the most beautiful smoothie bowl I’ve ever seen.
3. I love TJ’s almond butter! I was there this weekend and I wanted to get my beloved salted, creamy AB, but they only had the crunchy kind in stock– a sad day!
Aww thank you so much! It makes me sadder than I care to admit when I brave the crazy crowds at TJs and something I’m looking for is out of stock.
Omg! I just found your website and i LOVE it. I don’t eat meat (although I do eat fish) so i’m always excited when I find fellow bloggers who post vegetarian recipes!
This smoothie bowl looks delicious as well! I wish I had enough time in the mornings before work to make them, but alas I will have to wait until the weekends.
Yum! This looks gorgeous! Smoothies are on in full force at my house right now…but I haven’t perfected the frozen banana yet 😉
yum! you have inspired to try a smoothie in bowl form 🙂 PS: your photos are beautiful!!
You’re too kind! Can’t wait to see your smoothie bowl creations <3 (ps Coconut Bai is also a great smoothie base)