smoothies had their day

the smoothie has become its own food group in many homes and even taken over entire dining establishments, so making a popular blended, health drink unique takes a little finesse and a whole lot of creativity. luckily the smoothie has zero limitations!

you can make them every color of the rainbow, sweet to earthy, laden with fruits, vegetables or both and even throw in all kinds of powdered superfood wonders and touted liquid supplements.

at some point though, you may just want to stop drinking your food. it’s time smoothies thickened up and helped the spoon make a breakfast comeback. so pull out your inner picasso and decorate your smoothie bowl like your digestive tract depends on it!

start with the base

to make a thicker base, be mindful of your liquids. greek yogurt is a fabulous base as it’s thick and full of probiotic goodness, but we want to get a little more creative.

 you can add a bit of water to make it more soupy if you prefer.

now pour this love into a bowl and grab all your decorating genius. individually place cinnamon french toast or sea salt flavored iwon protein chips around the edge of your bowl, only slightly in your mix, creating a wall around the bowl to fill with delicate layers of shredded toasted coconut, a narrow strip of chia seeds, fresh assorted berries, a splash of bee pollen, a few pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of nut butter. if your nut butter is too thick, add in a smidge of honey and/or melted coconut oil to get the drip just right!

smoothie bowls are just as versatile as the smoothie and allow for more creativity for textures and colors. cashew cream and aquafaba are for the bold in the kitchen types while yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese and combos like the one above can be adjusted with a little blender skill.

as for toppings you want chewy, crunchy, soft and everything cut bite-sized for easy spooning and delightful chewing. color also plays with the wow factor, so be bold and go with a variety. monotone food can cause your brain to lose interest before you mouth has a chance to decide.

for the best breakfast, lunch and snack creations, grab your bowl, think about the dipping factor of your spoon and start experimenting with your blender. you really can’t go wrong. if it doesn’t work quite right, then add in a little something more. if your experimental bowl turns into three portions, stash the extra in the fridge and decorate each dish a little differently.