Article and Recipe by Tiffani Bachus, RD and Erin Macdonald RD of urockgirl.com
Photo by Paul Buceta
Move over avocado toast! Smoothie bowls are the latest stars of Instagram and this next generation of blended meals is all the rage. But besides being vibrant and incredibly photogenic, smoothie bowls are a delicious way to do breakfast, snack time, post-workout, or even dessert. And the best part? You get to decorate ‘em with your favorite toppings (think sundae bar, without the hot fudge hangover).
If you’re late to the smoothie bowl party, you should know that making them is a bit different than a traditional smoothie. The amount of liquid you use is significantly less so that you can achieve that thick, eat-it-with-a-spoon texture. This is where frozen fruit comes into play. The ice-cold nature of frozen bananas, mango, and berries provides not only natural sweetness (you really do not need to add any type of sweetener), but creaminess as well.
To balance out the sugar and carbs from the fruit, reach for heavy protein hitters like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or whey powder, as well as nuts (or nut butters), seeds, and avocado for a dose of healthy fat. The result is a refreshing, colorful balance of macronutrients that will nourish your body and keep you full for hours.
Ready to rock your smoothie bowl? This recipe for a decadent pre-workout treat should get you started, then check out our May/June issue for three more mind-blowing bowls.
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake
Prep Time: 5 minutes / Total Time: 10 minutes / Makes 2 servings
• ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest (organic)
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 1 cup frozen organic blueberries
Topping:
• 2 Tbsp organic blueberries
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 3 Tbsp crushed graham crackers
Place all smoothie ingredients in a food processor and pulse 10 times. Then turn on the processor and blend until smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary. Pour the mixture into a bowl and top with recommended toppings. Serve, enjoy, love.
Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 210, Fat: 7 g, Carbs: 22 g, Fiber: 5 g, Protein: 17 g
