Super Berry Bowl

Good morning!

Where do I start? So many things have been going on which is why I haven't written a blog post since February- when I say that out loud I can hardly believe it myself. I have been so busy revising and preparing for the many exams, not only school but also dance, flute and acting! But finally all school exams are over and I only have one dance exam left which means I can spend more time creating and sharing healthy recipes which I really love doing.

I thought I'd start with one of my favourite (not to mention so popular) smoothie bowls which no doubt you've seen all over Instagram, Pinterest etc. They're literally everywhere! They're also a great breakfast for a summery morning as they're light yet substantial and healthy yet delicious!

Of course there is no correct way to do this but I thought I'd share my personal favourite- my Super Berry Bowl. 

This bowl has so many great ingredients which benefit your body in lots of different ways so I decided to write briefly what some of the ingredients are good for and why you should incorporate them into your everyday lives. 

Banana: The fibre, potassium, vitamin C and B6 content all support heart health and they also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that studies suggest plays a role in preserving memory and boosting your mood. They're better a little riper as they're more easily digested by the body, not to mention they're sweeter too!

Berries: Different berries have different health benefits but they are all high in antioxidants which helps your body fight oxidative stress that can lead to illness. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help improve your health while protecting your skin and hair. In this recipe frozen berries are best as they make the liquid thick enough to layer toppings.

Almond milk (optional): Much healthier than normal milk as it's prepared from almonds therefore is low in fat but high in energy and contains proteins, lipids and fibre. It also has more calcium than regular cows milk and is high in iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium and zinc. Make sure you buy an unsweetened brand as some supermarket brands have lots of added sugar or alternatively make your own from scratch! 

Chia seeds: These are a great source of cell- strengthening omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation and and protect the skin from sun damage. They're a good source of protein and bone- building calcium and zinc, for blemish free skin. They're packed with fibre and reduce bloating while keeping you full with fewer calories. 

Flaxseeds: These are an excellent source of inflammatory omega-3s, fibre which supports healthy elimination, protein for skin-damage repair and lignans which have antioxidant qualities (flaxseed contains 75 to 800 times more lignans than any other plant foods!).

List of ingredients

For the smoothie:

1 banana (frozen if preferable)

1 handful of frozen berries

1 tsp of chia seeds

1tsp of flaxseed

water/almond milk (the amount depends on how thick you want your smoothie)

Toppings (all optional):

berries

frozen grapes

more chia seeds

1 tsp of your chosen nut butter

museli with no added sugar

pumkin seeds

sunflower seeds 

nuts

Method

Simply put all ingredients in a powerful blender (I use a Nutibullet) and blend until smooth! I would put the frozen fruit as far away from the blade as possible as this will be easier on the blade.

If you like this recipe why not check out my other breakfast ideas for a healthy but filling breakfast! Hope everyone is having a good weekend and is enjoying the warm weather!


Lots of love,