I finally figured out how to make a satisfying meal out of a smoothie…smoothie bowls. Making smoothie bowls is easy and you get to sit down and enjoy a meal instead of slurping down your morning calories on the go. There’s something about sitting down for breakfast with a bowl and a spoon that is so enjoyable to me. Maybe it was growing up on cereal or just the fact that I love taking a moment for breakfast, but either way, I’m loving my smoothie bowl solution.
Before trying smoothie bowls, some mornings I would make a smoothie and feel like I missed out on breakfast. Sometimes it would be the simple fact that the smoothie didn’t fill me up but most times it was the time spent eating and relaxing before the day began that I missed.
Maybe you’re not obsessed with breakfast or the calming morning hours like I am but even but I think there’s something everyone can like about smoothie bowls. And if you’re in a hurry you can still put this in a mug or cup and just mix in all of the toppings. Oh and you’ll need a spoon too!
My favorite toppings are fruit and granola. Maybe you’re thinking more fruit, aren’t you eating enough in the smoothie. Yes, but I also like to put a lot of veggies in my smoothies like beets, carrots or kale, so a few extra berries on top won’t over berry the situation I promise! And granola adds a nice crunch and sweetness. My go-to granola recipe is this Maple Nut Granola with Cherries and Hazelnuts which has no added sugar or butter.
Here are some simple steps to turning a smoothie into a smoothie bowl:
Pick a Smoothie Recipe
Really any smoothie recipe that you already enjoy will make a good smoothie bowl. My favorites always include some veggies along with fruit. The ones with peanut butter or almond butter are also great, especially if you need some added protein. And smoothies with coconut water are great for hydration if you’re getting a lot of exercise or if you’re out in the sun a lot.
Alter the liquid measurements
Every smoothie recipe has some sort of liquid ingredient, from water to milk or yogurt. For a smoothie bowl, you want the consistency to be slightly less soupy so add in 1/3 less liquid or switch the liquid to yogurt. For example, the smoothie above calls for 1 1/2 cups milk so I would take out about 1/2 cup of the milk or maybe use 1 cup greek yogurt and 1/2 cup milk.
Pick your toppings and Assemble
This is where it gets fun and when you can really turn a smoothie into a full and satisfying meal. We like to top our smoothie bowls with any of the following:
fresh fruit, sliced into bite size pieces
granola, this is our go-to granola recipe
toasted coconut
toasted nuts
cereal (like o’s or wheat crisps)
trailmix
crumbled granola bars or gingersnaps
dried fruit, try something new like goji berries or dried mango, chopped
seeds, try pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, or sunflower seeds
Some smoothie recipes to get you started:
Beet Cherry, Berry and Kale Smoothie
Beet, Raspberry, Banana Smoothie
My favorite Green Smoothie by The Kitchn
Mountain Mama’s Vitamin C Immune Booster Smoothie
Pineapple Banana Smoothie by Taste and Tell (author of 100 Best Smoothies for Kids)
Acai Smoothie Bowl by Kitchen Confidante
Strawberry, Rhubarb, Romaine, and Apple Layered Smoothie by Floating Kitchen
Also, you can still enter to win a copy of your own 100 Best Smoothies for Kids (which is also great for adults) by entering a comment on this post.
The color in this smoothie bowl is intoxicating. I can certainly see savoring each spoonful each morning!
Thanks Tanya! It’s so great to hear from you! Hope you are doing well and recovering from your sandwich binge 😉
I love the idea of a smoothie bowl. I’m going to try and make it a regular part of my morning. A smoothie usually leaves me feeling like it was enough too.
Barbara, maybe this could be your healthy breakfast for Aug Sept 🙂
Thanks for these tips!
I could not agree with you more. I do need a spoon for breakfast (even though smoothies are a bit more conducive to sipping and driving). 🙂 Great post!
Debra, glad to here you’re on my side on this one 😉
I’m with you on the smoothie bowl thing, Becky. When I drink my breakfast, I don’t feel like I really had breakfast. Making a smoothie bowl is the best because I get to eat real fruit and granola in it too! This smoothie bowl is just gorgeous!
YES!! Glad to hear you’re with me on this Marcie!!
That is one gorgeous bowl! I absolutely love smoothies and smoothie bowls. My mom and I went berry picking yesterday (blueberries and raspberries!), so I’ve got lots of delicious things to play with!
So fun!! Oh the thins you could do with a big pile of berries! Looking forward to seeing what you end up with.