This year has been the year of the smoothie bowl for me, and for good reason - there is something about a healthy packed bowl of delish that leaves your taste buds dancing. As far as I'm concerned, dessert for breakfast is an automatic win. Not to mention, these bowls are super easy, customizable and a quick 5 minute clean up. Prep them at the top of the week and have guilt free breakfasts that don't leave you lethargic.
OH! And the antioxidants! Blackberries, Raspberries and Strawberries are on St. John's list of Top 20 antioxidants to help eliminate cancer-causing free radicals, and in general leading to better health. #winning
The key to a great smoothie bowl?
Consistency! Nobody likes a bowl that's too runny or so thick your blender starts smoking. It's all about the frozen fruit. Freeze your fruits individually (for quick meal prep) prior, and start small with your liquid. Increase throughout the process, ensuring your perfect balance of thick and creamy.
Let's begin.
Grab a couple reusable baggies and set in your prep station. We personally love every opportunity we have to reduce our footprint, so minimizing waste is a must. Pick up some of Homeluxe's reusable silicone bags. These are FDA and SGS Approved Food Grade Silicone, BPA and BPS Free, free of fillers, PVC, phthalates, 100% safe, non-toxic, non-reactive, non-allergenic, and tasteless. Temperature range: -76°F ~ 428°F (-60ºC ~ 220ºC), while ziplog bags are only -22°F ~ 194°F (-30ºC ~ 90ºC) 🙌🏼
For each smoothie, grab your bag and fill up with (1) chopped banana and 1 cup of fruit - in this case, berries! Short on time? There are plenty of stores with pre-mix frozen berries (Target's Good & Gather Triple Berry for example, Costco, your local grocery store will certainly have something) - but sometimes, there is an awesome sale at your store and you've got time, grab organic and go seasonal (your body will appreciate you) - stock up on assorted berries, take home, rise, cut off your leaves, dice to smaller cubes, scoop a cup, partner with it's banana, place in your bag, seal and place in the freezer for tomorrow!
It's tomorrow! Grab your handy dandy blender out (Ninja blenders are rockstars for getting through the tough stuff - you pay for the quality, but it's worth it. I'm also a fan of the Magic bullet - it's more friendly on the wallet and good product). Pull out a bag of frozen fruit from the freezer, pour into your blender and add 1/2 cup milk (lately I've been in LOVE with oat milk, it makes for an amazingly creamy smoothie, but the milk is your preference) + 1/2 yogurt (I typically go greek, but there are plenty of vegan, non-dairy, etc options to cater to your dietary needs or preferences) - start blending and add milk or yogurt to get to your desired consistency. Looking for some protein? Put a scoop of your favorite vanilla powder in prior to blending!
Toppings: Pour your smoothie into a bowl and here is where you get to make a masterpiece. Sprinkle on your favorite granola - (try our Big Island Kona Coffee Granola (seriously, it's amazing, and it's not just because we are biased)), some fresh chopped fruit, and assortment of whatever else you love, examples: pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, chia seeds, hemp hearts, chopped nuts (I'm loving cashews), cacao nibs (oh my these are SOOOOO delicious), take a photo, because it's going to be beautiful and enjoy!
RECIPE
Your New Favorite Berry Smoothie Bowl + Big Island Kona Coffee Granola
Prep Time: 5 - 15 Minutes
Dairy-Free option, Vegan option, Healthy Lifestyle
Transport yourself to the islands with this refreshing, almost dessert like, without the guilt breakfast treat. This smoothie bowl is a go to for meal preps, ease and a wave of flavor.
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen berries
1 frozen banana (chopped)
1/2 cup milk of your choice
1/2 cup yogurt of your choice
Topping Suggestions:
Big Island Kona Coffee Granola
Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)
Cacao Nibs
Hemp Hearts
Chopped Nuts (Pecans, Almond Slivers, Cashews)
Fresh fruit
Chia Seeds
Directions
Add frozen berries, banana, milk and yogurt into your blender (the quicker from the freezer to the blender the better to ensure consistency). Blend your ingedients on smoothie mode or pulsate. If your smoothie is too thick, add a little more milk until you get the right texture.
Pour into your bowl and top with an assortment of your favorite ingredients, i.e. Big Island Kona Coffee Granola, Pepitas, Cacao Nibs, Hemp Hearts, Chopped Nuts, Fresh Fruit, Chia Seeds, etc.
Voila! Enjoy.