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Imagine a treat that is delicious, nutritious, sustainable and easy to make. Sounds too good to be true, right? Fortunately, anyone can enjoy the simple sweetness of a smoothie bowl all year round. You can whip one up for some post-workout protein, an afternoon pick-me-up or for an after-dinner dessert.
Better yet, the combinations of smoothie bowls are nearly endless. All you need is fruit or milk as a base, a blender and some fun toppings. To enjoy the benefits of smoothie bowls across the calendar year, you can also pick fruits and vegetables that are in season, making this dish healthy for you and the planet.
A smoothie bowl is the same general concept as a smoothie, except it is eaten in a bowl with toppings. These toppings can be nuts, seeds, more fruit or chocolate sweets. Because they are packed with these simple and natural ingredients, these bowls are nutritious and show-stoppingly beautiful.
For vegan and gluten-free folks, you can easily substitute certain ingredients and still find similar tastes. Smoothie bowls are truly customizable in every way!
At their core, smoothies only need three ingredients: a base, a liquid and flavors. Your base can be yogurt, ice cream or frozen fruit. The liquid can be milk, juice or even ice. Finally, you can add fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, chocolate, protein powders, nut butters and honey into the blended mixture or as toppings.
Your recipe will involve a blending of the base, liquid and flavors until smooth. Add the mixture to a bowl and decorate with toppings. Now you can dig in!
While you can find nearly all fruits and vegetables in grocery stores year-round, it is better for the planet to choose foods that are already in season. In the northern hemisphere, try:
This is the time for a new life, fresh flavors and light, poppy dishes as people venture outside again. It’s a great time to dig into healthy and mindful eating, as well.
A regular banana bread is a great blend of sweet, warm flavors. In smoothie bowl form, you can enjoy the delicate mix of chocolate, oat and banana all in one bite.
To make this bowl, add 2 frozen bananas, milk, quick-cook oats and a dash of vanilla and cocoa powder to a blender. Top with chocolate shavings, nuts, banana slices, coconut and honey.
Springtime is the season for new greenery, so pack it all together with this energizing super-green smoothie.
Add 1 avocado, kale leaves, almond milk and 1 frozen banana to a blender and top with coconut shavings, kiwi stars, chia seeds, berries and nuts.
As we enter the sparkling sunny days of summer, sweet berries and fruits come into their prime. Explore the candied taste of natural sweetness with these summer smoothie bowls. Summer foods you can explore are:
The berry dream features a blast of frozen bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and apples. With 2 pitted dates, protein-packed chia seeds and agave syrup also thrown in, your smoothie bowl is simply overflowing with flavor.
Top it off with coconut shavings, dried cranberries, blueberries, strawberry slices and mixed nuts.
The blackberry peach delight is like a taste of home. With frozen blackberries and bananas to form the base, all you need is some peach yogurt, almond milk and honey in the blender.
Top off this smoothie bowl with slices of banana or peach, blackberries, granola, almonds, toasted coconut and chia seeds.
Autumn is the time for foods that warm the soul and body. Just because the wind is a little chillier, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a frozen treat. In autumn, prepare smoothie bowls with these in-season foods:
Apple and cinnamon is a flavor match made in heaven. Combine 1 frozen banana with equal parts yogurt and apple sauce for the base. Almond milk and vanilla add a dash of sweetness, while rolled oats and cinnamon offer those classic fall flavors.
Top off your bowl with flax seeds, apple-cinnamon granola, sliced apples, pecans and almond butter.
You can’t make autumnal dishes without pumpkin. To chow down on a pumpkin pie smoothie bowl, add frozen bananas, pumpkin puree, oat milk, dates, almond butter, and a blend of pumpkin pie spices to a blender. These spices usually include allspice, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon.
You can decorate your pie-like smoothie with granola, pumpkin seeds, pecans and nut butter.
Cozy up under a blanket and dig into these spiced smoothie bowls meant to wrap your soul into a nourishing hug. They feature these fresh foods from holiday traditions and in-season fruits:
Combine 1 frozen pear and banana in a blender with oat milk, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and vanilla. You can decorate the silky smooth bowl with pear slices, pomegranate and chia seeds, raisins and granola.
The warming spices from chai and vanilla create the perfect winter treat. Before adding your ingredients to the blender, brew 1 packet of chai in boiling water. Add 1 cup of this tea to the blender with almond milk, 1 frozen banana, 2 dates, nut butter and vanilla.
Before digging in, consider placing sliced banana, mixed nuts and seeds, and cinnamon or chocolate shavings on top for an absolutely scrumptious treat.
You can enjoy the sweet simplicity of smoothie bowl recipes all year round by relying on in-season flavors. While most of these recipes are meant for one, you can always double the sizes or experiment with new flavors to share the love among friends and family.
