Smoothie bowls are undeniably one of the biggest breakfast trends to hit Instagram in the past two years (avocado toast is still going strong, though!). I’m not a huge fan of the creative prowess required to make them, but I’ve recently discovered they’re really pretty perfect for toddlers.
My two-year-old is obsessed with smoothies. We make one almost every single day, and his favourite flavours are still the ones we shared in this post. However, I’ve noticed that he also really loves feeding himself and jumps at the opportunity to use utensils whenever possible, so I came up with this simple one for him to eat.
It was a hit, of course, and now I find myself making smoothie bowls with almost as much frequency as the ones we can sip with a straw. While some of the smoothie bowls I see are awfully ambitious, I’ve come up with a simplified version that’s perfect for little eaters and their very busy mothers.
Before we completely shake up our smoothie routines and swap straw for spoons, I do have a few tips for making better smoothie bowls. They include:
- Use a high-powered blender to achieve a perfectly blended thick and creamy smoothie. You do not want your smoothie to be thin and soupy, and the ideal texture means you’ll likely need to spoon the smoothie into a bowl instead of pouring it. A thick smoothie will also prevent the toppings from sinking.
- Place any liquids or yogurts on the bottom of the blender carafe before adding the remaining ingredients. This will help to blend the ingredients evenly.
- Almost any smoothie recipe can become a smoothie bowl recipe if the liquid is reduced by 1/3-1/2 cup and a thickener like tofu, avocado, nut butter, extra frozen fruit or beans is added.
Have fun and be sure to let us know if you give smoothie bowls a try. Share your pics on Instagram and tag us so we can keep up with your delicious creations.
Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl
Serves 1 adult or 2 toddlers
You’ll Need
- 2/3 cup milk (any kind)
- 1 peeled and sliced banana, frozen
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon toasted flaked coconut (for topping)
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds (for topping)
- 2-4 blackberries
- 1-2 strawberries, washed, trimmed and sliced
Prep and Cook
- 1Into the carafe of a blender, place milk, banana, almond butter, cinnamon, rolled oats and flax seeds. Blend until smooth.
- 2Transfer mixture to a bowl (or divide between two smaller bowls if serving this to toddlers). Top with toasted coconut and chia seeds. Scatter berries around the bowl and serve immediately.
