How to make a dang good smoothie bowl!
1. Start with fruit of your choice. I like to purchase bags of frozen fruit. Or freeze my fruit prior to blending. This helps to thicken your smoothie bowl. (Frozen bananas work especially well for thickening)
2. Next select and slice some vegetables for your bowl. I know, I know who really wants to add vegetables to a smoothie? However this is actually a great way to get some extra iron (which ends up seriously depleted after aunt flow pays us a visit) as well as other essential vitamins and nutrients. I promise you won't even know they are there. Some suggestions are kale, spinach, avocado, carrots, beets, cucumber, Swiss chard or broccoli.
3. Then you're going to add some sort of liquid to help make your smoothie bowl creamy and easy to pour. I usually use lactose free milk, but I have also tried almond, coconut and soy milk. All taste delicious. I've heard of people using all natural fruit juice or coconut water but I have yet to try them myself.
4. To give your smoothie bowl some added protein you can add 2 tablespoons of something like greek yogurt, chia seeds, nut butter, tofu, flax seeds, hemp seeds, or even oats.
5. Blend until smooth and creamy, pour, and you're now ready to add toppings!
6. Get creative, have fun, create a master piece. Try toppings like fresh fruit, dried fruit, coconut, chia seeds, nuts, granola, chocolate. If you're feeling extra adventurous you can even toss a few edible flowers into the mix. Try arranging your toppings in a pretty pattern or abstract layout. Make something worthy of an Instagram post.
Other ingredients like ginger, mint, spirulina, cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla (or any other flavor extract) also make great additions to your smoothie bowl.
If your smoothie is a little on the tart side don't dive for the sugar just yet. Try a natural alternative like stevia, agave, or honey.
*Some fruit and vegetable combos to inspire your inner smoothie bowl Picasso*
Berry bowl- blue berries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, beets or kale.
Island bowl- orange, mango, pineapple, papaya, carrots.
Green goddess bowl- avocado, spinach, kale, kiwi, green grapes, pear.
Pink lady bowl- strawberry, raspberry, peach, banana, beet.
Recipe:
1 cup fruit
1/2 cup vegetables
1/2 cup liquid
2 tbsp protein
Blend
Toppings
Guest post from the lovely Myah Huff. You can find her sipping her favorite red wine with her cats or exploring her local record store on her Instagram here.
Do you have a delcious smoothie bowl recipe? Leave it in the comments below so we can all try it!