Smoothie Bowls – What Are They and How to You Make One?
Do a quick search for smoothies on Pinterest and you will inevitably see smoothie bowls. Colourful, often almost artistic in their presentation, these bowls of food almost look too beautiful to eat. But what are they and how do you make one? Plus – why would you even want to?
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What is a smoothie bowl?
Essentially a smoothie bowl is just what it sounds like – a smoothie in a bowl. Often ingredients are alternated a little to make them a little thicker and therefore better for the bowl and spoon rather than the cup and straw.
The bowl aspect also means you can present them nicely which makes them popular for us food bloggers. But it isn’t all just about pretty food and Instagram-worthy content – there are real practical benefits to having smoothie bowls.
What ingredients can go into a smoothie bowl?
The basis of any smoothie is the fruit that goes into it. With smoothie bowls, you can use any kind of fruit that you want and this includes frozen fruit, as long as your blender is powerful enough to handle it.
From frozen bananas to frozen strawberries, frozen mango to frozen mixed berries, there are tons of fresh fruits that can go into the mix. Fresh banana slices are a favorite as well as fresh strawberries and other berries.
You can also get a green smoothie bowl that uses green vegetables in the mix. These look very exotic and increase the nutrients from each bowl significantly.
The smoothie base is still important because while a smoothie bowl is thicker than a drink, it still needs to be relatively liquid. So you can choose a favorite milk, or non-dairy product such as almond milk or coconut water, or even a yogurt. Frozen yogurt can work, again if your blender is up for it.
Toppings are a big deal for smoothie bowls with nuts and seeds being popular. Flax seeds, chai seeds, and sunflower seeds top the list but you can use almost anything as a topping. Optional toppings can even include chocolate shavings and cocoa nibs. Not the most healthy toppings but they are very tasty!
To boost nutrition levels you can also think about things like nut butters. These can help make the mixture thicker with almond butter being one example. A tablespoon of peanut butter is a nice treat and a smooth one mixes in well.
Benefits of eating smoothie bowls
Let’s look at some of the general benefits of the smoothie bowl and why you might want to start adding them to your diet, especially for breakfast.
Vitamins and nutrients
Top of the list of reasons that people eat smoothie bowls is the same as for smoothie drinks – they contain loads of nutrients. Nearly everything in the average bowl is good for you from fresh or frozen fruit to protein-rich granola and even special ingredients like fat-burning chia seeds. You can also highlight areas of your diet you need to work on – concentrate on ingredients with lots of Vitamin C, for example.
Easy to control nutrient content
Smoothie bowls also make it easy to control the nutrients and ingredients within them. You might be worried about too much sugar, too many calories, or too high a fat content. But the simple fact is that you can adjust the ingredients to match your ideal intake.
So, if you want less sugar, go for plant based green smoothie bowls rather than fruit-filled ones. If you want fewer calories, swap full-fat milk for yogurt or increase your protein by adding protein powder.
Endless flavour options
Smoothies are a great way to feed yourself those ingredients that you aren’t that keen on and mask them with the flavours you enjoy. There are nearly endless options for smoothies and smoothie bowls. With the bowls, you can also add loads of different toppings such as granola, seeds, and nuts. This means it is a great breakfast dish and is ideal for kids as well.
They look so tasty
Let’s face it, if something looks tasty, we feel more inclined to eat it. So, while the prettiness of smoothie bowls might seem like something just to share on social media, it does encourage us to eat them – even more so with kids. Making them is fun and so is eating them. You can get the kids to be ‘arty’ with the toppings before eating all that nutrition.
These recipes show that making a smoothie bowl is as easy (if not easier) as making a smoothie drink and is the perfect breakfast dish. With bright colours, fun toppings, and loads of nutritious ingredients, these bowls are just what we all need to fill those gaps in our diets!
More From The Smoothie Bird:
Why Add Avocado in Smoothies: Health Benefits and More
5 of the Best Superfood Smoothies Recipes to Detox
What are the Best Smoothies to Make with Winter Fruits and Vegetables?
