I wouldn't have thought I would like it - heck, I even tried not to like it! But smoothie bowls are awesome.
The thing that's great about them is that they take your typical smoothie (which, in my book, is pretty darn greatanyways), and then they build on top of it. They add extra texture and flavor and, quite honestly, some flair and fun.
And there's nothing wrong with having a little flair and fun on top your smoothie.
Really, it's a whole new way to enjoy your smoothie. You can also do the same with your protein shakes as well.
So, besides the smoothie, let's talk how to make a smoothie bowl for yourself.
The idea behind the toppings is you want to consider texture, flavor, and visual appearance. The toppings can be just sprinkled on or can be neatly placed in lines, like I have with this tasty peach and strawberry smoothie bowl recipe, or any other design your little heart desires (remember, this is the time for fun and flare!).
Personally, I like to choose 3-4 toppings - 2 of them will usually come from the ingredientsI already included in the smoothie (i.e. the strawberries and peach, in this case), andthe remaining 1-2 will add extra texture, flavor, and visual fun.
A couple great go-to's for this are unsweetened shredded coconut, granola, chia seeds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and sliced almonds. These all add a great crunch and are easy to keep on hand to toss a tablespoon or so down on your smoothie.
Whatever you choose, it's an opportunity to have fun with your food, enjoy what you do, and - gosh darn it - stop being so stubborn!
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
1ripe peachpitted and sliced
1frozen banana
1cupfresh strawberrieshalved
¼cuprolled oatsuncooked
⅓cupunsweetened almond milk
2teaspoonraw honey
¼teaspoonground cinnamon
Toppings:
granola
flaked coconutunsweetened
additional sliced peaches
additional sliced strawberries
Instructions
In a blender, add the peach, frozen banana, fresh strawberries, uncooked rolled oats, unsweetened almond milk, raw honey, and ground cinnamon. (While you don’t have to have your banana frozen ahead of time, having it frozen will add more creaminess to your smoothie and will make it so you don’t need to add any ice which can dilute the flavor.)
Blend until smooth.
Pour the smoothie into a bowl.
I like to add sliced peach, strawberries, granola, and shredded coconut over the top, but you can literally use whatever you like.
Tip: to keep the fruit from sinking, slice very thinly.
No ice: If you don't have ice, you can use frozen fruit, oats, chia seeds, yogurt, or nuts and nut butter to thicken your smoothie. No frozen fruit: Add a scoop of raw oats or chia seeds into the blender instead. No yogurt: You can swap yogurt with nut butter to thicken a smoothie.
"Smoothie bowls are essentially more nutrient-dense smoothies, thick enough to eat with a spoon and often topped with fruits, nuts, seeds, muesli or granola," explains McKel Hill, MS, RD, and creator of the plant-based, whole foods blog Nutrition Stripped. "Think of smoothie bowls as the new cereal -- like cereal 2.0."
The key to a thick smoothie bowl is frozen fruit. The thick consistency of the smoothie makes the toppings stay in place on top without sinking to the bottom of the bowl. Adding bananas to the mixture not only adds sweetness but also helps with the thickness.
Standard ice cubes are great for adding thickness to smoothies but bear in mind you will need a powerful enough blender to crush the ice (more on this later). For the cleanest flavor also try and avoid adding tap water ice cubes if possible. Opt for cubes made from purified, filtered water instead.
But there's plenty of room for an additional protein boost (I've added a few suggestions in the recipe notes down below!). Frozen bananas: While you can use fresh bananas for this smoothie, it'll be thicker, creamier, and more chilled with frozen sliced bananas.
By adding fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables, you can easily increase your vitamin and mineral intake for the day. “Smoothie bowls are a great way to get in a variety of nutrients — including vegetables — first thing in the morning,” says Alissa Rumsey M.S., R.D.
You can create vibrant and delicious smoothie bowls with almost any blender, however, it may be easier to use a powerful blender on low speed with a tamper that you can use to push frozen produce down toward the blade to help ensure a silky smooth consistency.
You need to be sure to invest in a quality high performance blender that will be able to handle the rock hard consistency. At Blenders Online we recommend only the top of the range food preparation blenders from our premium quality brands. These include Vitamix, Hallde, Blendtec and Hamilton Beach.
Make the smoothies and then freeze them in ziplock bags. Let the smoothies defrost in the fridge the night before and then add to your bowl with your favorite toppings.
You always need something crispy or crunchy to go with the creamy and soft. Nuts, seeds, grains, and granola are great choices for adding just that to smoothie bowls. For more inspiration check out our article with our 4 favourite granola recipes !
Smoothie bowls are generally more nutrient dense compared to smoothies, and are thick enough to eat with a spoon rather than consumed through a straw. Smoothie bowls often incorporate frozen fruits, veggies, juices or milk, ice and even butters like peanut butter or almond butter for added protein.
Start your smoothie with two mugfuls of a liquid base. This can be milk, or a dairy-free alternative such as soya or almond milk, natural or flavoured yogurt, fruit juice, or for a tropical flavoured smoothie, low-fat coconut milk or coconut water.
For the salad: Layer fruit in a large, clear glass bowl in this order: pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bananas, oranges, grapes, and blueberries. Pour cooled sauce over fruit; cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
The trick to thicker smoothie bowls is less liquid. In my Pitaya bowl recipe, I use 3 frozen packs Pitaya and 1 1/2 frozen bananas and add less than a cup of my homemade almond milk to blend. I use the Vitamix tamper to work the frozen fruit to the consistency I like. Play around with it and you will get it!
Putting too much water in the blender can be a fatal flaw. "You can always add more, but start with less so it stays thick," Barkyoumb said. She and other food bloggers said that adding extra liquids to the ingredients can ruin a smoothie bowl's otherwise thick consistency.
On your way to work, school, or errands, grab your smoothie out of the fridge. Drop your toppings into the thermos and grab a spoon to take with you to enjoy your bowl! If you realize you have a little more time, you can always pour your smoothie base into a bowl and then add toppings.
To make an actually-filling smoothie, you need protein, too. Studies show that protein contributes more to sensations of fullness than fat or carbohydrates do, because it reduces levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone), while boosting the levels of peptide YY (a hormone that makes you feel full).
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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