Smoothie bowls are a big craze that started on Instagram with photos of the prettiest recipes that can possibly be created. They are eaten with a spoon to replace a light meal and provide a healthy food source that is quick to prepare.

As there is some chewing involved, this triggers the digestion process to release enzymes which assist to digest our food. Drinking smoothies does not set off the chain of digestion.

To make a smoothie bowl with the right consistency, it is necessary to add frozen fruit and reduce the liquid content. Freeze ripe fruit in zip lock bags and store in the freezer to use in smoothie bowls. Select fruit that is ripe to add natural sweetness. You can also freeze a plant-based milk in an ice cube tray and blend the frozen milk cubes with your other ingredients.

Choose a deep bowl and chill it overnight. Enhance the colours by adding purple carrots and beetroot for a purple smoothie bowl and kale and baby spinach to make a more vibrant green result. Pureed pumpkin and butternut squash can be blended with mango and pineapple and garnished with a choice of colourful toppings that are nutrient dense such as nuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, dried fruit, no-added sugar granola and toasted oats.

Prepare all the ingredients and topping before you start the blending process.

Black Forest Smoothie Bowl

Photos: CJ BaldacchinoPhotos: CJ Baldacchino

You will need:
½ purple raw carrot
½ cooked beetroot
4 dates
2 kale leaves
¼ peeled apple
2 frozen bananas
2 cups mixed frozen cherries and cranberries
1 tsp agave
2 tbsp aronia concentrate
2 cups cashew milk
3 tbsp oats

For the topping: 100g fresh cherries, 50g dry roasted flaked almonds and 50g melted dark sugar free chocolate, baby chard.

Chill clean smoothie bowls in the fridge overnight. Add all the ingredients to the blender and combine until it is a smooth consistency. While you are doing this melt the dark chocolate in a bain marie.

Pour into a bowl. Arrange the fresh cherries on top of the smoothie mix. Add some dry roasted flaked almonds.

Pour melted chocolate on the surface of the smoothie mix. It will solidify to form a delicious chocolate topping. Garnish with baby chard.

This is a gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan recipe.

Kiwi and Kale Smoothie Bowl

You will need:
1 ripe frozen banana
½ avocado
3 kale leaves
3 ripe kiwi fruits
½ cucumber, peeled
½ tsp spirulina
½ tsp chia seed
1 tbsp oats
½ cup frozen cashew milk

For the topping: 1 dragon fruit cut into star shapes, a mix of raspberries and blackberries, ½ tbsp chia seeds.

Place two bowls in the fridge overnight. Peel the fruit and vegetables. Roughly chop them together with the frozen banana. Add all the other ingredients. Blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth and consistent.

Pour the thick puree into chilled bowls and garnish with a mix of berries. Peel a dragon fruit and slice it. Use a cutter to cut out star shapes. Sprinkle some more chia seeds and serve immediately.

This  is a gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan recipe.

Passion and Pomegranate Smoothie Bowl

You will need:
1 ripe frozen banana
½ cup cooked pumpkin
1 cooked carrot
50g cooked sweet potato
½ cup frozen cashew milk
⅛ tsp fresh turmeric
¼ tsp maca powder
Vanilla
Pinch of cinnamon

For the topping: Seeds from one passion fruit, 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds, ¼ tsp linseed, 1 physalis.

Place two empty bowls in the fridge overnight. Peel the fruit and vegetables. Roughly chop the frozen banana and the vegetables and place together with the other ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Remove the bowls from the freezer and pour the smoothie mixture into them. Top with passion fruit, pomegranate seeds, linseed and physalis and serve immediately.

This is a gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan recipe.

Chocolate Berry Smoothie Bowl

You will need:
½ cup oats
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup frozen cashew milk
1 ripe frozen banana
1 tbsp agave or stevia
150g dark sugar-free chocolate
75g frozen cranberries

For the topping: 75g mixed blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, fresh mint leaves.

Place a smoothie bowl in the fridge overnight. Place the oats, raw cacao powder, cashew milk and grated zucchini in the blender with the frozen cashew milk, frozen banana and cranberries, agave and sugar-free dark chocolate. Blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth and consistent.

Serve in individual bowls and top with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.

This is a gluten-free, vegan and diabetic-friendly recipe.

Lea’s new book Good Food Everyday is available in most bookshops in Malta and Gozo.You can watch Lea cook every day on Smash TV and follow her blog www.goodfoodeveryday.wordpress.com.  More of her recipes are available on www.timesofmalta.com

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