SERVES: 1
TIME: 10 MINUTES, NOT INCLUDING FREEZING THE BANANAS
Obviously not a salad, and not exactly a smoothie, yet killer for breakfast, a light lunch, and when I’m craving a creamy, substantial “dessert” for dinner. It’s a fruit smoothie thick enough to eat with a spoon, topped with salty-sweet homemade granola, fruit, and crunchy cacao nibs. The simplest bowl is just frozen fruit, but adding protein powder, nut butter, or other goodies makes it as nourishing as you need it to be. I freeze up to a dozen ripe bananas at a time for a week’s worth of made-to-order smoothie bowls! It’s raw ready if no granola is added.
SMOOTHIE BOWL
1 banana, peeled and frozen
1 cup frozen berries, frozen chopped mango, or frozen pineapple
¼ cup almond milk or pure coconut water
TOPPINGS
½ cup Guts ’n’ Glory Granola (page 159)
½ cup sliced fresh fruit (berries, apricots, plums) or slightly thawed frozen berries
1 tablespoon goji berries or diced dried fruit
1 teaspoon cacao nibs
AND SOME OTHER FAVORITE TOPPINGS . . .
Toasted chopped nuts or hemp seeds
Toasted coconut
Chopped walnuts, almonds, or more frozen berries!
1 Dice the frozen banana and pulse in a blender with the frozen fruit and almond milk until creamy and smooth. High-powered blenders are great, but you can also use a food processor; occasionally scrape and mix the fruit with a rubber spatula.
2 Immediately scoop the blended banana into a bowl, add toppings, and eat eat eat!
3 Enrich that smoothie bowl with any of the following additions. Add prior to blending:
• Scoop of your favorite vanilla or chocolate vegan protein powder
• Frozen acai pulp (I usually use half of a packet per bowl)
• Couple spoonfuls of coconut or soy yogurt
• 1 soaked, pitted date, for sweetness
• Spoonful of almond, peanut, or hemp seed butter me spin
Frozen ripe bananas are a game changer. Peel, store in resealable plastic bags, and freeze until firm . . . that’s it! Cacao nibs are a natural food store staple that add crunchy raw chocolate flavor without the sugar.