Smoothie Bowls... The Breakfast of Trendy Champions
Move on over avocado toast. Oh my gosh, calm down people. Its not like I actually meant that!!! Avocado toast will always have a place in my heart (mouth and stomach). But sometimes we need something else. I need something else. I love variety in my food. And what better to give the ever loved avocado a day off than a deliciously, satisfying smoothie bowl? It is like all of the goodness of a smoothie, but with added layers of flavor and texture. My husband was like "ooh, a deconstructed smoothie". Ish. But sure, we can go with that. Whatever you want to call this tasty nutritious treat is up to you. I am going to go with its most popular nomenclature of "smoothie bowl". Makes it easy for me, for search engines, for your brain... I could keep going, but its not like this is that interesting.
Want to talk about something interesting? How about layers of flavors in body fueling breakfast!!! Okay, sounds good to me. I prepared two different smoothie bowls here. The first was a sweet and tart tropical flavored bowl. From local Hawaiian banana-apples (yeah, that IS their name), extra sweet Dole pineapple, acai, chia seeds to blackberries, coconut chips and yogurt; this smoothie bowl will have you doing a hula dance. You know what, were are going to call it the Hula Bowl. (No joke, just decided that right meow. Sure, its not that clever. But it is fitting and it works. So suck it Trebek.) The second bowl boasts honey, chocolate and carmalized bananas with pepitas, granola, yogurt and strawberries. It is like the healthy person's version of a banana split. Kinda. What to name it? (Literally attempting intelligent thought as you read this.) "And I shall call him Squishy and he will be my Squishy." -Dory, Finding Nemo. I don't think I can name this "Squishy". Squishy Split doesn't work either... Chocolate surprise? I quit. Coco-Nana Bowl. Literally the best thing I can think of right now, Sorry to disappoint. But seriously yall.. nap time for my kids is almost over, so I don't exactly have a world of time to give this bowl a name to which it will never be referred to by.)
Hula Bowl:
serves 2
2 Acai Packets, frozen
1 cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2- 5.3 oz yogurt (rest for garnish) (I will get more into the yogurt below; chose one that is high in protein and low in sugar.)
1 1/2 cups blackberries, fresh, divided
1/2 cup diced pineapple
1/4- 1/2 cup coconut chips
2 tbsp chia seeds
So lets talk about the ingredients that I used before we get into a "recipe". Some items in the picture may be for the other smoothie bowl, so if you see something that isn't in the recipe above, don't sweat it.
Coconut chips= crack. I literally eat these all day. But you're basically looking for lightly sweetened large "flakes" labeled "coconut chips" (shockers). They are crispy and delicious.
The acai packets I referred to are purchased at Costco and pictured above. If you are using an alternate product, each packet is 100 grams.
Yogurt. We are going for healthy here. SO if you get a yogurt that is loaded with sugar, you are doing yourself a disservice. The yogurt in my hand has more protein than sugar per serving. You could of course opt for a coconut milk or soy based yogurt too if you are looking to be dairy free.
If you want to make it sweeter, use a raw unfiltered honey. :)
Instructions:
1. You are going to need a "good" blender to make the perfect smoothie bowl. I looooooove my Vitamix. If you aren't working with something of a similar caliber, then this might not work out.
2. Add the acai, 1 cup blackberries, coconut milk, frozen peaches and half of the yogurt to the Vitamix and blend until smooth and consistent. You will probably have to use your tamper.
3. Divide the blended mix into two bowls.
4. Top each bowl with 1/4 cup of diced pineapple, 3 tbsp or so of coconut chips, 4-6 blackberries, 1 tbsp of chia seeds and a drizzle or dollop of the remaining yogurt.
Enjoy right away before the smoothie part turns into what Olaf would be in Suuuuumer! ;)
Coco-Nana Bowl:
Serves 2:
6 apple bananas* (or 3 regular bananas)
1/2 cup coconut milk
5.3 oz yogurt
1 tbsp coco powder
1-2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds, you could also use sunflower or hemp seeds)
1/4 - 1/2 cup granola of choice
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
*Apple-Bananas: A random gem we came across here in Hawaii. I mean, if you're from here, you have seen them everywhere. But as a non-native, I was pleasantly surprised with this mini bananas sweetness. What, you don't live in Hawaii, South America, Malayasia, Honduras or Mexico? You can use three regular bananas instead. The flavor profile will be different, but it will still be tasty.
Yogurt: We are going for healthy here. So if you get a yogurt that is loaded with sugar, you are doing yourself a disservice. The yogurt in my hand has more protein than sugar per serving. You could of course opt for a coconut milk or soy based yogurt too if you are looking to be dairy free. (You don't need to judge my cut and paste from above. You're not so perfect yourself.)
Honey: Same goes for honey... use real honey, raw and unfiltered if you have it.
Instructions:
1. The night before you plan on making this smoothie, slice and freeze 4 apple bananas or 2 regular bananas. You will reserve the extra bananas(s) to slice and caramelize on the stove top.
2. Slice the remaining banana(s) roughly 1/2" thick. Add to a pan and drizzle with a little bit of honey. Cook 2 minutes, flip and cook an additional minute. Allow the bananas to cool before plating on your smoothie bowl.
3. Add the frozen sliced bananas, coconut milk, yogurt, honey and cocoa powder to the Vitamix.
4. Blend until smooth you will most likely have to use the tamper.
5. Divide the blended mix into two bowls.
6. Top each bowl with 2 tbsp pepitas, 1/4 cup sliced strawberries, half of the caramelized bananas and 3 tbsp or so of granola.
Enjoy right away before the smoothie part turns into what Olaf would be in Suuuuumer! ;) (<--- See what I did there. I gave you another opportunity to judge me for the cut and paste. But you passed!!! Didn't you?)
