Delicious and creamy. Sweet, satisfying, and quick! How healthy are these bowls really?

Smoothie bowls are fruit-based which means while it’s all-natural sugar they can contain far more servings of fruit than you’d typically eat in one sitting. In its blended form, the fructose hits the bloodstream quickly and all at once. All that fructose can spike insulin and get you riding the blood sugar roller coaster.

And because smoothie bowls are carbohydrate-based you can end up hungry again very soon after.

The trick is to make sure there is enough protein, fat, and fibre to balance out the carbs and get a slower release and stable breakdown in the body.  This is why I always recommend including things like nuts, seeds, yogurt, and protein powder to slow down that fast release.

Smoothie bowls topped with lots of fruit are popular and make the bowl look very pretty and Instagram worthy but I try to limit the fruit toppings for more fat and protein-based toppings like nuts, seeds coconut flakes or shreds and my homemade granola.

The same goes for your regular ol’ smoothies like this Choc-Banana Nut Butter Smoothie and Ginger Mint and Green Apple Smoothie. 

In the recipe below you’ll see how I make my smoothie bowls with one of our favourite combinations.

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Berry Smoothie Bowl

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 1

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 1 cup your favourite frozen berries or you can replace berries for frozen mango
• 1 banana, frozen and sliced
• ¼ cup mixed raw cashews and chia seeds or macadamias and almonds work well too
• 2 tbsp natural or Greek yoghurt
• 1 scoop protein powder optional
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1/4 cup milk of choice add extra if needed

Toppings

• 2-3 tbsp homemade granola
• 1 tbsp coconut flakes or shredded coconut
• fruit sliced paw paw, banana, berries or your fruit of choice (optional)
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tbs peanut butter optional

Instructions

• Blend up nuts and seeds until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on low until smooth
• Serve into bowls with toppings

If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration take a look at my ebook, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes. It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved and take the guess work out of what delicious, healthy food to make your kids for lunch!

If you make this recipe and share on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek.

Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook.

Other recipes you might like are Anti-oxidant Smoothie and Super Smoothie. 

The warming spices in this creamy Gingerbread Smoothie provide so much comfort against the rain and cold. Not to mention it’s oh so nutrient dense!

It’s high in fibre, protein, and calcium, and a good source of vitamin C (banana) and iron (molasses and chia seeds), protecting our immune system and keeping us healthy and strong.

And because of the blended nature of smoothies they are really gentle on our digestion which makes it that much easier for our bodies to assimilate and utilise all the nutrients.

This Gingerbread Smoothie can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or packed in an insulated drink container and sent to school.

If you’re looking for some lunch inspiration, take a look at my recipe ebook,  Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes. It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Cinnamon powder
Ginger powder
Cardamom powder
Nutmeg Powder
Chia Seeds
Oats

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Gingerbread Smoothie

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Total Time 7 minutes

Servings 1

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
• 1 large banana
• ¼ cup cashews
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon yoghurt optional
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or 2 Medjool dates
• 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 x 1 cm fresh ginger peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or powder
• pinch of allspice
• pinch nutmeg

Instructions

• Pop all the ingredients into a blender, blend for a couple minutes or until smooth

Notes

I like to let the smoothie sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the chia seeds to swell and thicken the smoothie. You can also store this smoothie in the fridge.

If you make this smoothie please do take photos and send them to me.

If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

Some other warming recipes you might like

7 Soups To Soothe the Soul
10 Warm and Hot Meals to Pack for School Lunches

Bren x

… sometimes only a smoothie will do!

Your kids will think they’ve hit the jackpot and you’ll still be serving them a nutrient-packed dinner option that will keep everyone full and satisfied and nice and cool!

Here are 8 of my faves.

Choc-Banana Nut Butter Smoothie by Brenda Janschek

Ginger Mint and Green Apple Smoothie by Brenda Janschek

Bone Broth Smoothie by Nourishing Lola and Sage

Pineapple and Mint Smoothie by Eager for Life

Detox Smoothie by Eager for Life

Super Hero Smoothie by Low Tox Life

High Energy Mango and Macadamia Smoothie by Quirky Cooking

Carrot and Turmeric Smoothie by Guide to Organics

If you make this recipe please do take photos and send them to me.

If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

And remember, if you haven’t already, grab your copy of Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes here.

You might also like 8 Nutrient Packed Smoothies for Dinner and 20 Reasons to Love Smoothies and 10 Recipes

Bren x

It may be hard to believe that this deliciously decadent Choc-Banana Nut Butter Smoothie is not only good for you, but beats any boxed cereal in the nourishment stakes.

This smoothie can be made with any nut butter you have on hand like 100% peanut butter (check for additives), almond butter, or our favourite is ABC (almond, brazil nut, cashew) butter. You can also turn this smoothie into ice blocks for a healthy refreshing summer treat. Simply pour the smoothie mixture into iceblock moulds and freeze.

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Cacao Powder
Nut Butter
Chia Seeds
Raw Honey
Cinnamon
Rolled Oats
Coconut Milk

If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration take a look at my ebook, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved and take the guess work out of what delicious, healthy food to pack your kids for lunch!

Print

Choc-Banana Nut Butter Smoothie

A delicious breakfast or snack option the whole family can enjoy

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 2

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk of your choice
• 2 bananas chopped into large chunks, frozen
• 1 tbsp nut butter
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds optional
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp raw honey optional
• 1 heaped tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder or extract
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

• Pop all the ingredients into a high powered blender and blend on high speed until smooth.

If you make this recipe and share on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek.

Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook.

Some other delicious healthy drinks you might like to try are Gingerbread Smoothie and Super Smoothie.

#italwaysrainsatstate is a well known mantra. And I can vouch for its authenticity, lol!

Truth be told, we all still love it anyway, but just picture hoardes of dripping, freezing parents manoeuvring through a sea of umbrellas in order to catch a glimpse of their kids … Down in front!

At the end of one very long day of events this year, I turned up at my friend’s accommodation where we were bunking that night, completely waterlogged with sand sticking to every bit of me. Ugh! Ok, ok, this is the bit I can do without. Anyway, I was never more desperate for a warm, soothing cuppa as I was then!

My friend kindly pointed me to the pantry where I discovered there were only basic black tea teabags (in this day and age?) and not even a green tea bag in sight. Given I’m almost allergic to caffeine, and have been known to bounce of the walls if I have it after 2pm, I was determined to find an alternative. I rummaged through the cupboard and found inspiration in the spice rack, from which I was able to concoct a Chai-esque blend. My friend found the whole thing quite amusing.

“Only you, Brenda”, were the words I could hear her mutter.

This magically rich, spicy, warming and healing tea was the perfect companion for me and the large armchair I was snuggling into. Pure and instant relaxation.

Since returning home, I’ve discovered I don’t have to be desperately cold and drenched to enjoy this newly discovered blend. I’ve been enjoying it ever since with the same spices I have in my cupboard and loving it just as much. I think the little twist of adding the cayenne pepper was quite inspired on my part, and is actually my favourite bit of the tea.

And let’s not forget the medicinal properties contained in these tasty little spices. You’ve got to love it! Check it out…

Cinnamon – Sweet, spicy and stimulating, cinnamon is known for it’s warming effects, as well as balancing blood sugar and aiding digestion. It can help with menstrual pain and inflammation, and fights infection.

Nutmeg – Warming, aromatic, and stimulating to the brain and nervous system. It also helps ease anxiety, depression, fatigue and stress. Wonderful for the skin, liver and kidneys.

Ginger – Aids digestion and is both warming and soothing to the body. Great for menstrual pain.

Cardamom – Helps combat depression, aids digestion, detoxifies and is considered an aphrodisiac.

Cayenne Pepper – This is my little twist discovery! Cayenne ads some delicious heat and is great for circulation, detoxifying, cramping and headaches.

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

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Hit the spot home-made Chai tea with a twist

Prep Time 1 minute

Servings 1

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• Ground cinnamon a good shake or two use mostly cinnamon as it provides the base for this tea, plus balance and sweetness.
• Ground nutmeg pinch or small shake
• Ginger powder healthy pinch or nice shake
• Cardamom pinch or small shake
• Cayenne pepper small pinch

Instructions

• Pop all ingredients straight into a small cup or mug, pour over boiling water and stir well. Enjoy!

Notes

All spice amounts can be adjusted to suit your taste.

If you make this recipe and share on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek.

Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook.

This chai tea would go down really well with these Chai Date and Sesame Biscuits or Cardamon Spice Cake.