Healthy Fruit Smoothie Bowl

It’s a new year and for many of us that means new goals for life and our body. Weather your goal is to loose weight, add muscle, drink less or maybe it’s simply to make better choices it all starts from the inside out.

Regardless of your specific goal, it’s so important we fuel our bodies with healthy nutritional foods and that’s different for all of us. However, at the very core of it all, we know less sugar, good carbs and less processed foods are wise decisions. Easier said than done, I know! But we have to start somewhere and this is where I believe making small changes can have big impact.

For example, I have a really hard time omitting something 100%. So I will set a goal but it will include one cheat day a week. Mentally it seems more obtainable. Now there are plenty people who would disagree and suggest the ‘cold turkey’ route and I believe it can work, I’ve seen it work for others, but for me I can’t get my head wrapped around perfection, it simply doesn’t exist in my world – life happens. And more importantly I’m not defeated if I do cheat because I’ve already given myself permission to enjoy the treat.

This method also helps with planning. If you know you have a party to attend you can plan your week and save your treat day. Dieting can be very anti-social, it’s really hard to hang out with friends and family who aren’t watching what they eat. Many times I’ll see friends avoid parties because they don’t want to be tempted. But this doesn’t seem like a sustainable way of life either. We have to be able to enjoy life but also stay on track. And by making a plan that I feel good about right from the beginning is what works for me.

This is where the smoothie bowl comes into play. I need to be better at eating breakfast and making better choices. So for 2019 I’m going to make sure I have a freezer and fridge full of smoothie ingredients that will make it hard to derail my plan. It’s not a huge lofty goal but it’s an easy win to start the day!

*Note – I am not trained in dieting or nutrition and this advice is mentioned only as a suggestion based on what works for me and body. As with any new diet plan you should always consult your doctor or physician.

Ingredients

SMOOTHIE

1 Banana, frozen – I buy them at Trader Joe’s
1 Cup frozen fruit – I used a mix of cherries, pineapple, blue berries, blackberries and strawberries
1/3 Cup almond milk – more or less based on how thick you like your smoothie bowl
1/3 Cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon of almond butter

TOPPINGS
Handful of your favorite granola
Chia Seeds
Cocoa nibs
Fresh or dried berries
Raisins
Pomegranate seeds

How To

Place all the smoothie ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If too thick, slowly add a little almond milk or yogurt until it reaches the desired consistency.

Add your toppings and enjoy!

Additional ingredients and toppings for consideration:

SMOOTHIE
1 pack frozen acai – found at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s
Protein Powder of your choice
Coconut milk
Ground flax seed
Peanut butter
Handful of spinach or kale
Beets or Carrots
Tablespoon of agave nectar or honey