Hello lovelies!
Lets just jump right to it;
Lately while i've been getting into smoothie bowls and slowly progressing my clean eating, i've come to the conclusion a lot of people LOVE smoothie bowls just as much as I do but also some people don't know how/have never tried one.
Im here to say YOURE MISSING OUT! I can't say enough how tasty and beneficial they are to your health :) (when made with the right ingredients).
If you're here reading this, I want to share with you how to create these beautiful bowls (or just a straight up smoothie to go) so keep reading! I've seen a fair share of blogs bashing smoothie bowls and how they are packed with sugar. This is true only when you aren't doing it right- so let me tell you.
First off there are things you want to avoid:
Sugary yogurt
Dried fruit
Fruit juices
TOO much fruit
There is a big misconception about whats listed above.
Have you ever READ the nutritional chart for your basic yogurts? They are full of sugar! and to me sugar IS the worst thing on that chart. They aren't all bad, some are worse than others just read your labels. About 4g of sugar is 1 teaspoon of sugar, so in that one little serving of yogurt, picture swallowing a teaspoon of sugar. No thank you!
Dried fruit; what can be so bad? Its fruit right? Well, when dried, the contents get concentrated leaving the sugar content doubled if not higher. As well as some contain chemicals to keep bacteria from growing.. gross.
Fruit juices also are full of sugar.. if you want benefits of fruit, eat the fruit, don't drink a fake concentrate.
Do we notice what i'm getting at? Sugar, especially added sugar is just a big NO in my books. Lastly, too much fruit is also not the greatest thing. Fresh fruit has sugar in it, so depending on how you want to roll, myself I try to limit the fruit I eat even though fruit IS healthy for you, all sugar is sugar. Veggies need love too!
So with this quick little run down lets begin!
I like my smoothies thick and for smoothie bowls thats what you want. You want them to be thick as you can get them as if you are eating pudding- its fun that way! If you want to get fancy and top it with great things you want them to stay afloat!
What I use to create a smoothie base:
- PLAIN Greek Yogurt - (high in protein- zero sugar added- hello perfect)
- Banana - It keeps things thick because of its natural texture, masks any flavor you dont want (if you were adding spinach, veggies, etc)
- Protein Powder - This is optional, but this helps thicken my smoothie as well as give me a BIG protein boost if I need it. I always op for this because protein is good for ya! (I use Kazien Natural Whey Isolate)
- Avocado - The texture of avocado is similar to banana as it helps keep the smoothie thick (Its a sneaky way to get the benefits of avocado and not having to taste it. They are SO AMAZING for you so why not)
- Unsweetened Almond milk (Vanilla or Chocolate) or Water - This is all I drink day to day, minus tea
THESE are what will make your smoothie thick no matter what! Slowly add in liquid to ensure you aren't making it watery. After a few times you will know how much liquid is too much! Worst case add in a bit more banana or yogurt :) Practice makes perfect!
Base Example: 1 scoop protein, half banana, 1/3c greek yogurt and if you're feeling like being extra healthy add in that half avocado OR full avocado- your choice.
This is a serving size for me, you can adjust for the amount you want. I find they get pretty filling so Ive learned I don't need as much as I think.
Once you got that in there you can add in everything else!
Note: I try keep it to 1/2 cup of fruit or less to watch my sugar, and to make my fruit last. You don't need to waste a full container of berries into one bowl to make it taste good (Unless you like to live life on the edge; then go wild)
EXTRAS:
I have been trying to try new healthy foods to get a rainbow of nutritional benefits! Its fun and exciting to me.
What i've tested and have become obsessed with; Chia seeds, Nuts, Spinach, Kale POWDER, matcha, Ground flax, Hemp hearts, cinnamon!
You can put ANYTHING you want! Try new things, test new flavours, try jam back as much GOOD stuff as you can!
Just remember keep it as real and clean as you can. When you do it smart, you getting all these extra vitamins that you may have not been getting before. I have noticed a difference in my skin lately (imperfections have cleared up, smoother, has a natural glow- to me anyways haha!) and I would bet you 10 bucks its from a change and up in diet. As well as my nails are growing faster than usual and I have more energy in the morning! So why not try scrap your morning cereal or pop tarts and try it out!
I hope this answers some of your questions and helps out your creations!
If not- don't hesitate to contact me via instagram or leave a comment below!
Happy Eating!
I want to try to make one...or some. I've been seeing your posts on Insta and they've totally been motivating me! Thanks for breaking it down!
ReplyDelete