Protein "bowls" to fuel your day!

I have been on a huge smoothie kick these days. They are nutrient dense, fast, delicious and very versatile. What more could you want? I’ve also been loving making them a little thicker so I can eat them with a spoon. I just feel very satiated after actually eating my meal/snack as opposed to drinking it down. And I love to add protein powder to make them a complete meal. So, I call ‘em my “protein bowls”.

Now, I’ve really been going wild with these. I start with either my Vega One chocolate (which is absolutely freaking out-of-this-world delicious) or my Sun Warrior vanilla flavour (the Warrior Blend), add a liquid base, and then combine with fruits, veggies and any other superfood additions. Here is a step-by-step of making the perfect “bowl”:

1.      Choose your flavour preference

-Chocolatey (think milkshake-style)

      -Fruity (very berry, anything?)

      -Creamy (like eating ice cream…)

      -Tropical (pina colada bowl, anyone?)

      -Refreshing and light (cool as a cucumber… in fact, great ingredient idea!)

      

2.      Start with a base

-Coconut water

-Coconut milk

-Nut milk (*homemade or store bought – almond, Brazil nut, etc)

-Chilled flavoured tea (brew concentrated tea the night before, and chill in the fridge. I like to use anything chocolatey from Teavana, and use about 2 teaspoons per cup!)

-Fresh juice

3.      Add your fave (vegan) protein powder!

Not always necessary, but it is quite nice! Not only does it add some sweetness and flavour, but your smoothie gets nice and thick

4.      Pair your fruits and veggies wisely

-Tropical fruits will mask pretty much the taste of any bitter green, in the right ratio (experiment with it, to taste)

-Beets and chocolate pair very well

-Cucumber and spinach are neutral enough to be refreshing with only a touch of sweetness needed

-Beware of too much sweet fruit! Sugar spike alert! Think about how many sweet fruits you’re adding

-Some veggies ain’t never meant for this kinda thing, y’all. If you find a recipe for a cabbage smoothie that tastes good, I want it

5.      Some extra superness

-Organic coconut flakes

-Raw honey

-Maca

-Goji berries

-Cinnamon

-Spirulina (careful now… only add about a teaspoon I would say, and get the tropical fruits in there!)

-Cacao nibs

5. My extra little tips…

-Frozen fruit or ice will make it cold and deliciously refreshing, like ice cream!

-You can start off by adding a little liquid, and feed more through the tube as needed to reach desired consistency

-Food processors are good if you want something a little chunkier, and blenders are good if you like it very homogenized and smooth

Finally, my fave recipes!

Green bowl:

-1 small avocado

-water from one coconut

-1/2 a frozen banana

-handful of spinach

Pie filling in a bowl:

-1/2 a gala apple

-1/2 a steamed sweet potato

-Vega One chocolate

-1 cup nut milk

-1 tsp pumpkin spice

-Cinnamon to taste

Pink heart:

-¾ cup frozen strawberries

-Sun Warrior vanilla

-1/2 to 1 cup Coconut milk

-1 tsp Ruth’s Chia Goodness

Coconutty delight:

-3/4 cup coconut mango mate tea (concentrated, chilled overnight)

-Vega One Chocolate

-1 tsp raw honey

-1/2 a frozen banana

-1/2 an avocado

-Cinnamon to taste