On a roll... with my smoothie bowl
If you know me well enough, you may know that I like to repeat foods sometimes. I think all of us are creatures of habit, especially as we age, and this is something to embrace. Why? Well I like to use the term "auto-pilot."
When it comes to health and wellness, we need to establish habits in order to stay on track. The stress of changing things up everyday can be exhausting. When you create a habit, the ability to stick to it becomes as easy as pressing cruise control or putting the plane on auto-pilot. That is what this smoothie is for me.
Summer time brings hot weather, sunshine, hot morning runs, sunny pool sessions, hot and sweaty sports events and everything that can be dehydrating to our bodies. This is where a good smoothie bowl comes in. I like to keep all the ingredients on hand to simplify the process, and I like to pack the nutrition into each bowl. Now watch out guys, I DO like to swap in different fruits, protein sources and nuts and seeds, so that is really spontaneous of me! There are endless options!
If you haven't tried a smoothie bowl yet, then stop what you are doing, scroll down to the recipe, and go make one! You do need a good blender to get the smoothest and thickest bowls. If you just have a low-powered blender, you can blend it with more liquid and do your best, but it won't make quite as decadent of a version. Use it as an excuse to get yourself a better blender.
When it comes to ingredients- I encourage you to use the recipe as a guide below, but swap out the ingredients for different flavor profiles. Some versions I have created that I love are:
Double Berry Basil (Strawberries, Blueberries, Protein Powder, Greens Powder, and Basil with Crunchy Cocoa Nibs
Honey Matcha (Matcha powder, Banana, Spinach, Honey and Crunchy Pistachios and Flax)
Berry Protein (Triple berry mix, Greek Yogurt, Spinach, Flax, Banana with Crunchy Walnuts, Coconut and Hemp Seeds)
Coconut Chocolate (Coconut milk, Coconut, Banana, Greek Yogurt, Peanut Butter, Cocoa Powder plus Crunchy Cocoa Nibs and Coconut)
The version below is a tart cherry bowl with yogurt and banana. Tart cherries are very anti-inflammatory and full of flavanols. I encourage you to be creative with your smoothie bowl, and most of all, let your artistic skills shine as you "decorate" the top with seeds, nuts and herbs and spices.
Tart Cherry Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen tart cherries
1/2 frozen banana
Handful spinach
1 TBSP Raw Honey
1 TBSP ground flax
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, unsweetened
1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened
Pinch cinnamon
Toppings: Chopped Pecans, Tart Cherries (chopped), Coconut, Ground Flax
Directions:
To a high-powered blender, add all ingredients. Blend until smooth, using a tamper as needed to blend into a thick mixture. If it is too thick for your blender, add just enough additional milk to allow it to blend smooth.
Pour into a wide-mouthed bowl.
Top with chopped pecans, coconut and cherries.
Enjoy with a spoon!
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