What’s in a smoothie bowl?
Smoothie bowls are made with a thick smoothie as the base and can range in nutritional value depending on what ingredients you add into the smoothie and on top of the bowl.
This Cherry Raspberry Cranberry Smoothie Bowl is creamy thanks to the oats; the trick is you let them soak in the milk at least 10 minutes so the smoothie isn’t grainy. A high-powered blender helps too! I usually add the milk and oats to the blender and then go do something else (unload the dishwasher, check email, do some quick stretches, you get the idea!)
The combo of cherries, raspberries and cranberries is a bit sweet, tangy and tart all the at the same time. The cherry juice boosts the cherry flavour intensity and lemon juice adds a bright perk.
Each of the fruits add fibre, vitamins and antioxidants that are thought to protect health.Cherries are the primary fruit here and contain heart-friendly nutrients including vitamin C, potassium, folate and fibre. Cherries also have one of the highest levels of anti-inflammatory anthocyanins—the powerful antioxidants thought to be providing cardiovascular benefits. Read more about cherries and health here.
The fruit also adds natural sugar, so I don’t find a need to add any additional sweeteners. Take a taste of the bowl and if you find it too tart, add a drizzle of honey.
The milk, Greek yogurt and almonds add protein to balance out the bowl and provide longer lasting energy.
And what about the spinach? If you’re worried about adding a green veggie to your breakfast, spinach blends right in, you won’t even know it’s there!
How do you top a Smoothie Bowl?
Smoothie bowls are a blank canvas. You can personalize your bowl the way you love it. Choose a sprinkle of a few of the following:
Berries
Banana slices
Cherries
Peach slices
Mango
Melon
Dried fruit e.g. dried cherries, raisins or prunes
Dates
Coconut (shredded or flake)
Chia Seeds
Hemp Seeds
Flax seeds
Toasted walnuts
Toasted slivered almonds or roasted almonds
Nut butter
Granola or Muesli
Dark chocolate chips or shavings
Cherry Raspberry Cranberry Smoothie Bowl
Tangy and sweet, scrumptious smoothie bowl is packed with antioxidants from the cherries and berries. It provides gut-friendly fibre from the berries and oats. Greek yogurt and toasted almonds provide hunger-curbing protein. Top it with toasted almonds, fresh cherries and coconut for a brilliant breakfast that will keep you satisfied all morning.
Makes: 4 small smoothie bowls Total time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
Smoothie:
½ cup large flake oats
½ cup milk or plain kefir
½ cup unsweetened tart cherry juice *
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup frozen cherries
1 cup frozen raspberries
½ cup frozen cranberries
1 cup baby spinach, optional
2 tsp lemon juice
Smoothie Topper:
½ cup (125 mL) fresh pitted, sliced cherries
2 tbsp sliced almond, toasted
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
How to make:
Add the milk, cherry juice and oats to a blender. Let soak to soften oats for about 10 minutes.
Add the Greek yogurt, frozen cherries, raspberries, cranberries, spinach (if using), and lemon juice into the blender and process until smooth, approximately 1 minute. Add a little extra milk if the smoothie is too thick to blend.
Pour smoothie into two small serving bowls.
Top each bowl with sliced cherries, almonds, and shredded coconut. Serve immediately.
*in place of unsweetened cherry juice you can use orange juice or more milk