Berry Smoothie bowl

What in the world is a smoothie bowl? That was my exact question when my husband and I went to Hawaii for our honeymoon. (It was the BEST travel destination, but more on that later!) We stayed in a hotel that was surrounded by little shops and food stands. A lot of the restaurants/food options where what I would refer to as "hole in the wall" food joints. You know, the ones that all the locals know, and you wonder if it's reaaaallly safe to eat at these places. But you do anyways and they end up having the best food ever. Those types of places.

Anyways, all of the local food joints were selling smoothie bowls. They where EVERYWHERE! Back home, we have Starbucks or McDonalds on every corner. In Hawaii, they had a shop selling smoothie bowls on every corner. (Or at least our resort had this!)

After watching how crazy people were about this trend, I decided to recreate the oh-so-easy smoothie bowls. I also added a healthy twist to these bowls, but they still taste good!

Ingredients in a smoothie bowl

These are some ingredients commonly found in a smoothie bowl!

• Milk: I choose unsweetened almond milk, however regular milk, soy milk or coconut milk would all work!

• Fruit: Virtually any fruit will work in these smoothie bowls. Use frozen fruit for a thicker, icier texture. The fruit combinations are endless. Here's a couple of my favorites:
  Bananas, strawberries, blueberries
  Peaches & mango
  Strawberries & kiwi
  
• Yogurt: Any type of yogurt works. Use greek yogurt for extra protein.
  
• Nut Butters: Peanut butter or almond butter are often used in smoothie bowls.

are smoothie bowls healthy?

The overall nutritional profile of a smoothie bowl depends on what types of ingredients are used. The smoothie bowls made in the recipe are considered nutrient dense.  A food that's considered nutrient dense compares the calorie to nutrient ratio: they have a low amount of calories and a high amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals packed into the food.  

Examples of nutrient dense foods: 

• Berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries)
• Spinach
• Chia seeds
• Flax seeds
• Non fat milk
• Avacado
• Kale
• Carrots
• Sweet Potatoes

Health benefits of Smoothie bowl ingredients

-Blueberries: Blueberries are a great source of fiber and vitamins. They help boost the immune system, help with brain function and aide with inflammation.

-Flax Seeds: These are an excellent source of  omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart. They also contain fiber, which keeps things moving in the GI tract. The body is unable to absorb whole flax seeds, so they must be ground up for any nutritional benefits.

-Cinnamon: This has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components. In addition, studies show cinnamon may aide in preventing the growth of some tumors.

To make a smoothie bowl packed full of nutrition, simply combine any  of the foods listed above in a blender and add a non-fat liquid of your choice (almond milk, milk, green tea, etc...). You can also add in extra goodies, such as chia seeds or flax seeds. These help as a thickener to your smoothie bowl.

Check out these other tasty treats

• Healthy Cheesecake Parfaits
• Green Smoothies
• Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats