A refreshing smoothie topped with nuts, fruit and seeds gives you a perfect breakfast or lunch on a hot day.
Cold Meals for Hot Days
Arizona gets hot. Pretty much everyone melts for about two months out of the year and that’s just to be expected. When it is so hot outside, eating hot food is not a favorite around here. I mean these pancakes with this apple syrup are amazing but when it is 115 degrees outside anything cold is just better.
That’s where these smoothie bowls come into play. Delicious, cold refreshing smoothie topped with chilly fruits, seeds, nuts and granola and you have a meal fit for a hot morning or afternoon.
Greens in your Smoothies
Adding a good handful of greens to your smoothie ups the nutrition. Some people have a hard time with raw greens. If you are one of those, you can sauté the greens quickly before adding them to the smoothie.
If it is helpful, you can sauté a larger amount of greens and then portion them out for your smoothies and freeze them. That way, when it comes time to make your smoothie, all you have to do is remove it from the freezer and toss it into the blender.
Choose Your Own Adventure
My kids love smoothie bowls because it’s a “Choose Your Own Adventure” meal. Everyone gets to pile on what they love. No one is required to add anything they don’t want.
Some kids keep it simple with just fruit and nuts and others add a handful of everything available. I love cut up bananas and strawberries, honey nuts, and a few seeds.
Start with a delicious smoothie recipe that you already love and then top it with more deliciousness! What’s not to love?
I’ll give you our favorite smoothie recipe to try out today but you really can get creative and use any smoothie recipe. This chocolate cherry one from Mels Kitchen Cafe is another favorite.
Blueberry Banana Smoothie
1 handful of fresh spinach (sautéed if needs be)
3 frozen bananas
1 cup frozen blueberries
0-3 tablespoons of maple syrup (depends on the sweetness of your fruit)
1/3 cup raw cashews (see notes)
1-2 cups of milk or water (I typically use almond milk)
Blend until smooth in a high powered blender.
Pour desired quantity into a bowl and top with desired toppings.
Toppings:
Fruit: Cut up strawberries
Blueberries
Cut up bananas
Raspberries
Seeds: Hemp hearts
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Nuts: Honey nuts (see notes)
Slivered almonds
Chopped pecans
Other: Granola
Quick Oats
Tweak It Notes
- HONEY NUTS – Our very favorite part of these smoothie bowls are these honey nuts. they are super simple to make and are delicious in these smoothie bowls as well as on salads or just to eat. Chop up desired amount of pecans. Spread out the nuts on a baking sheet. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes. Stir and spread out and bake another 3-5 minutes until just barely starting to get a little darker. Let cool and serve or gobble up straight from the pan.
- CASHEWS – The nuts can be soaked to help with digestion and to make them softer – not necessary but helpful.
