Simple Berry Smoothie Bowl

This Simple Berry Smoothie Bowl is a refreshing, delicious and healthy way to start your day. It looks beautiful too!

A lot of smoothie recipes out there have milk in it, whether it’s oat milk, almond milk or coconut milk. However, I really don’t tend to enjoy smoothies that incorporate milk. I describe this Simple Berry Smoothie Bowl as refreshing because rather than use milk, I use coconut water to blend the ingredients. This gives it more of an icy texture and much lighter. For me, it is a great way to start the day because I don’t want something too heavy for breakfast most days. At the same time, the ingredients are nutritious.

Why make this smoothie bowl?

Smoothie bowls are so great because once you get the base for a smoothie you really like, you can adapt and add toppings based on your mood, what is in your pantry or the time you have available to prepare it. I outlined a few different toppings that I typically use (granola, fresh fruit, and peanut butter powder). However, there are so many other fun toppings you could add, such as:

• Coconut Flakes
• Cacao Nibs
• Sliced Nuts – Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts or Pecans
• Fresh nut butter of choice or a substitute, such as Sun Butter which is made with sunflower seeds
• A small pinch of Cinnamon or Nutmeg

Deciding what you want to add to the top of your smoothie bowl is all part of the fun!

While I really enjoy making a smoothie bowl, sometimes we just don’t have time to sit and savor. Making this as a regular smoothie to drink on-the-go is also an option. The smoothie tastes delicious with or without the toppings, so if you prefer to drink it, you absolutely can.

Shopping List for Simple Berry Smoothie Bowl

• Frozen Acai Packets (I use Sambazon Organic Original Blend) or Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Organic Acai Packets
• 1 bunch of Bananas
• 1 pack of Frozen Mixed Berries 
• Greek Yogurt of choice (I use Chobani, Less Sugar, Low Fat – Blueberry or Vanilla)
• 32 oz. container of Coconut Water
• Hemp Seeds or Powder
• Protein Powder (I use Vanilla Designer Whey 100% Whey Protein Powder)
• 12 oz. pack of Granola (I use Michele’s Granola Original)
• 6.5 oz container of Peanut Butter powder (I used The Original PB2)
• Container of fresh Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, and/or Blackberries

While some of these items are not required to make this smoothie bowl, I recommend stocking your pantry with them. This way you have access to use them as you want or need, and many are items that don’t expire quickly. You can also use them for other things you might make.

Hemp or Whey Protein Powder?

It can be difficult to determine what kind of proteins to include in your smoothie to ensure you are getting the right nutrients for your body. While I love cooking and food, I am not a nutritionist and will not give personal advice on that piece here. At the same time, I can share general information about what to consider.

Protein is an important nutrient that helps with things like maintaining muscle and keeping our bones and skin healthy. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you may want to consider adding protein supplements to your diet. It is also something to consider more as you get older.

What kind of protein should you use and what are the differences? The following are the main differences between Hemp and Whey Protein.

Hemp Protein

• Plant-Based (Vegan option)
• Comes from a Hemp Plant
• Earthy flavor
• Can add seeds to the top of smoothie or mix powder within the smoothie

Whey Protein

• Animal-Based
• Comes from milk, after being heated up to split it into curds and whey. The whey is then turned into powder form
• Flavor is added
• Mix powder within the smoothie

For me, hemp seeds don’t settle well for my stomach. I much prefer a hemp or whey powder, and my body responds much better to this form.

Overall, adding protein to your smoothies is a good idea. However, if you are concerned about what you are adding to your diet and how much is appropriate for you, I would recommend speaking with a nutritionist or your doctor. Remember, adding these protein options is not required.

Invest in a reliable Blender!

This is probably the most important advice I can give someone who makes or plans to make smoothies regularly. There is nothing more time consuming than dealing with kitchen equipment that takes up a lot of space or is difficult to clean. Last year, I purchased the Ninja Nutri-Blender Pro with Auto-iQ, and it is one of the best investments I’ve made for my kitchen.

This blender comes with two Single-Serve Cups with Spout Lids. The lids are great in the event you just want to make a smoothie to drink, rather than a bowl and also if you are taking a smoothie on the go. Then, there is one cover that has Pro Extractor Blades. You simply attach it to the single-serve cup and latch it onto the main piece of the blender. If you and your partner or roommate prefer different types of smoothies, it works great because you can make individual smoothies, with minimal clean up. It is also a reasonable size, and does not take up too much space on the counter.

If you have the right equipment, a few simple ingredients and less than 10 minutes of time, you will be very happy with this smoothie bowl!