That’s what I asked when I first observed the smoothie bowl craze. Why eat liquid with a spoon, and why would you want to chew on nuts and berries with freezing cold liquid in your mouth? Hello brain freeze and ouch, teeth!
Then, I tried one. It was delicious. While eating it, it dawned on me that we eat frozen yogurt and ice cream with toppings…this isn’t much different. Consistency was also key, as it wasn’t really liquid but thick like yogurt or a milkshake. Cool, so it was tasty, I no longer questioned it, and I went on my way assuming my smoothie bowl consumption would still be few and far between, but met with less skepticism.
Well, that would be a short post….there is more to it and this is where I think the smoothie bowl may more appealing to the most of us. Anyone else buy fresh fruit, like berries, banana, maybe mango, to put on yogurt? Anyone else have problems with it going bad or getting mushy before you can use all of it? I know I do because I buy it on Sunday when I go to the grocery store, and eat yogurt for breakfast a few times per week. By Friday, bananas are turning brown and berries are getting mushy and preparing to grow mold.
Well, my genius solution upon realizing I like smoothie bowls was to freeze that leftover fruit (and spinach! I even freeze and add wilted spinach) and use it for future smoothie bowls! One might say, “Well genius, you could have used it for regular smoothies before that.” But the problem is that I don’t find smoothies particularly filling, and I have a huge issue with getting seeds in my teeth when I drink blended berries (maybe just me though). Regardless, I felt like a genius because with the smoothie bowl I could add everything I like to the smoothie, then add substance with extra fruit, nuts, and seeds that I could eat along with it. More like froyo with toppings and an actual meal. I LOVE these after run or a lighter version with protein powder after weightlifting.
Smoothie bowls come down to two things; the base and the toppings. The possibilities for toppings are endless from shredded coconut and walnuts, to granola or gummy bears if you like. My favorites are more fruit, dark chocolate chips, chia seeds, and walnuts or pecans. The keys to the base are; frozen fruit, yogurt (I prefer Greek), milk (I use almond), and a natural sweetener if you are a sweet tooth (I like Stevia, honey, or maple syrup). Then you can throw in a multitude of other things. Below are two of my favorite recipes!*
*I am not nor claim to be a dietitian, this is based on what I enjoy after a workout and have read in various publications. Make any substitutions as necessary to align with your dietary restrictions or doctor’s recommendations.
Blueberry Banana Oat
In a blender combine:
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1/3 cup Almond Milk
1 frozen half banana
3/4 cup frozen blueberries (or whatever you have frozen)
1/4 cup rolled oats
I teaspoon maple syrup
Handful of baby spinach
Toppings:
Sprinkle of fresh blueberries
Handful of chopped walnuts
Tablespoons of dark chocolate or carob chips
Crunchy Raspberry Banana
In a blender combine:
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1/3 cup Almond Milk
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup granola
Teaspoon of Honey
Toppings:
Sprinkle of fresh raspberries
Handful of chopped walnuts
Teaspoon-ish of chia seeds
Tablespoons of dark chocolate or carob chips
*For a lighter protein-plus version remove the oats/granola and maple syrup from base, add half scoop of protein powder. Remove chocolate chips from toppings.
So there you have a few ideas! And there are a million options out there, plenty of blog posts with recipes. Mine are based on the things I already eat or keep in my house, so I am not purchasing extra items to make smoothie bowls. They are a little less glamorous, but convenient and delicious. Hope you have fun inventing your own version of a smoothie bowl!
