Do you barely have time to prep healthy meals? Are you trying to balance your hormones, lose weight, boost your energy or improve your skin? Then it’s time to learn how to make a green smoothie bowl!
Smoothie bowls are an incredibly versatile and flexible option to add to your healthy lifestyle.
Depending on the ingredients you use, they can be used as a snack or a meal replacement.
And all you need to make a basic green smoothie bowl is a handful of ingredients and about 10 minutes of your time.
To help you get started with green smoothie bowls, this post gives you:
- The basic ingredients you need for a green smoothie bowl.
- Suggestion for add-ins and toppings.
- Simple recipes to get started.
By the end of this post you should feel confident and ready to dive into the colorful, delicious and healthy smoothie-verse!
BASIC INGREDIENTS FOR A GREEN SMOOTHIE BOWL
There are just 3 things you need to make a green smoothie bowl that tastes good:
- Liquid base
- Leafy Greens
- Fruits
That’s it!
As for the ratios, the following blend gives you 2 servings:
- 3 cups fruit
- 2 cups tightly packed leafy greens
- 1/2 cup liquid
| INGREDIENT RATIO FOR 2 SMOOTHIE BOWLS |
|---|
| 3 cups fruit |
| 2 cups tightly packed leafy greens |
| 1/2 cup liquid |
Remember that this is a general formula.
If you use fruits or veggies that have high water content (like cantaloupe, cucumbers or romaine lettuce) you should reduce the amount of liquid you use.
Otherwise, you’ll end up with a runny bowl that is more like light soup.
Now let’s take a look at the specific liquids, greens and fruits to use in your green smoothie bowl.
1. Liquid Base
Plant-based milks are ideal for a healthy green smoothie bowl because they don’t contain the growth hormones and antibiotics that are in conventional milk.
You can choose from:
- almond milk
- oat milk
- macadamia milk
- coconut milk
- cashew milk
- rice milk
In addition, fresh-pressed fruit juices (orange and apple) and coconut water are also healthy options for your green bowl.
And last but not least, if you have nothing but water available to you, that definitely works too!
As long as you have a delicious combination of fruits and veggies, even plain water will produce a tasty (and creamy) green smoothie bowl.
2. Leafy Greens
When you’re starting out with green smoothie bowls, the best greens to use are baby spinach and kale.
They both contain fiber, calcium and most of all the green pigment, chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll oxygenates the body, supports detoxification, feeds healthy gut bacteria and so much more.
From a taste perspective, baby spinach and kale won’t overwhelm your smoothie the way other greens can.
And as for blending, they’re both easy on your blender (just make sure to destem the kale before popping it into the blender).
3. Fruits
Fruits are a must for your green smoothie bowl. Without them you’d basically be eating a leafy green puree!
Aside from flavor, fruits add more antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to your bowl.
My top fruits for a green smoothie bowl are:
- Bananas
- Mangoes
- Pineapples
- Cherries
- Berries
- Limes
In addition, you can also use:
- Apples
- Avocados
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwis
- Lemons
- Papaya
- Pears
- Peaches
A quick note about limes: lime juice helps to balance out the flavors and actually makes the flavors of certain fruits (like berries and cantaloupe) stand out more!
A quick note about avocados: they make your smoothies thicker and creamier. And of course they add to the green color and all the benefits associated with green foods (which I cover in this post on the 25 benefits of green smoothies).
TOPPINGS AND ADD-INS FOR A GREEN SMOOTHIE BOWL
Once you’ve got your basic smoothie bowl recipe together, a whole world opens up to you.
You can add in other ingredients to make the bowl more filling, creamy and nutrient-dense.
Basically, this is where your smoothie bowl goes from being a light snack to a full meal replacement bowl.
Let’s start with the green smoothie bowl add-ins that you can use.
You’ll want to blend these into your smoothie.
- Acai powder: adds antioxidants, healthy fats and some minerals.
- Beet root powder: boosts energy, adds natural sweetness.
- Cacao powder: adds antioxidants and magnesium which helps with sleep, energy, PMS and hormone support.
- Greek yogurt: adds probiotics; gives a creamy texture.
- Ground flaxseed and chia seeds: rich in fatty acids; they soak up moisture, which will make your bowl thicker.
- Green powders (spirulina, matcha green tea, wheatgrass, chlorella, moringa): loaded with antioxidants, trace minerals, vitamins.
- Maca powder: balances hormones, boosts energy, supports fertility, regulates stress response; adds a caramel-like flavor.
- Nut butters: adds healthy fats and fiber; gives a creamy texture; adds a soft nutty flavor.
- Plain oats: adds fiber; makes smoothie thicker.
- Pomegranate powder: anti-inflammatory; contains antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamin C, folate, magnesium.
| Acai powder | Maca powder |
| Beet root powder | Matcha |
| Cacao powder | Nut butters |
| Chia seeds | Plain oats |
| Chlorella | Pomegranate powder |
| Flax seeds | Spirulina |
| Greek yogurt | Wheatgrass |
Now, let’s move on to the toppings for a green smoothie bowl.
Lots of good stuff to choose from here!
- Bee pollen: great for balancing hormones and boosting the immune system.
- Granola: adds more fiber (just get a good quality brand that isn’t loaded with processed sugar).
- Goji berries: adaptogenic herb that balances hormones, supports weight loss, boosts the immune system.
- Plain oats: adds more fibers
- Raw chopped nuts: adds more fiber, proteins and healthy fats.
- Shredded coconut: adds healthy fats and fiber.
- Raw seeds (hemp, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin): adds zinc, selenium, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Sliced fresh fruit: provides more vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants and fiber.
| Bee pollen | Raw chopped nuts |
| Granola | Raw seeds |
| Goji berries | Shredded coconut |
| Plain oats | Sliced fresh fruit |
3 HEALTHY AND SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIE BOWL RECIPES
For the frozen fruit that is listed in these recipes, it’s a good idea to thaw them out overnight in the fridge.
Or leave them out on your kitchen counter for a few hours.
It’s really worth using fruit that is fully or partially thawed out.
You’ll get more flavor out of them.
Basic Pineapple and Mango Green Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
2 medium bananas (sliced)
2 cups spinach (tightly packed)
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango (or peaches)
Suggested toppings: raw chopped nuts, shredded coconut, hemp seeds, pomegranate seeds.
Tropical Twist Berry Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
¼ cup greek yogurt
1/2 cup plain almond milk
2 medium bananas (sliced)
2 cups spinach (tightly packed)
1 cup frozen pineapple
½ cup frozen mango
½ cup frozen strawberries
Suggested toppings: granola, bee pollen, hemp seeds, berries
Evergreen Avocado Smoothie Bowl
¼ ripe avocado
⅔ cup water
2 medium bananas (sliced)
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 cups tightly packed baby spinach
2 Tbsp almond butter
Suggested toppings: shredded coconut, fresh berries, hemp seeds, berries
CONCLUSION
So, that’s it for how to make a green smoothie bowl!
Feel free to experiment with the fruits and veggies that you enjoy.
And keep in mind that depending on the fruits you use, your green smoothie may end up looking purple or brown.
This can happen with blueberries and blackberries, for example.
Was this post helpful? Is there anything I missed that you’d like me to answer?
Feel free to drop a comment below and let’s keep the conversation going 🙂
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