If you haven’t heard, smoothie bowls are the new smoothie. Smoothie bowls are different from smoothies because they are thicker and you actually eat them out of a bowl with a spoon. Kids love smoothie bowls because it makes them feel like they are having ice cream for breakfast, and I like them because they force me to sit down and eat. I am definitely guilty of making a smoothie, pouring it in a glass, and running out the door, and gulping it down on my way to work.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to making smoothie bowls. They can be green, purple, pink, orange…you get the picture. One of the most popular ingredients is acai which can be found in the frozen section of the grocery store. Make sure you buy the unsweetened version. Acai is actually one of the healthiest berries you can eat, and it comes from the rain forests in the Amazon. It is loaded with antioxidants which help to fight oxidative damage in the body. Another popular ingredient is bananas because they make it thick and creamy. Whatever ingredients you choose, the key is not to add a lot of liquid (water, almond milk, coconut milk, etc.) as you want it to be thick. The final key component to making a delicious smoothie bowl is the toppings! I like to add things like shredded coconut, cacao nibs, goji berries, nuts, seeds, fruit, and anything else I have on hand that adds a healthy crunch and texture. Don’t go overboard though. Smoothie bowls can quickly turn into dessert if you are not careful. A tablespoon or so of each topping should work!

Below you will find one of our fave smoothie bowl recipes. Smoothies or smoothie bowls are a great way to get in multiple servings of fruits and veggies before 10 a.m.

Dr. Taz MD’s Favorite Smoothie Bowl

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 frozen bananas (hint: peel them first)

2 unsweetened frozen acai packets

2 tablespoons chia seed

½ ripe avocado

2 generous handfuls spinach

2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk or water (you may want to add more or less depending on how thick you like your smoothie bowls)

Optional toppings:

Unsweetened coconut flakes

Cacao nibs

Hemp seeds

Nuts

Goji berries

Fresh berries

Directions

Pour all of the ingredients (except for the toppings) into a high speed blender, and blend on high. If using a Vitamix, you will need to use the tamper. If you do not have a high speed blender, I recommend cutting the recipe in half so that it will blend easier.

You can easily make this recipe for one by cutting everything down by a fourth. Enjoy!