I don’t know about you but I’ve always envied those Instagram accounts that posted the most perfect looking smoothie bowls, and always thought I’d never be able to make something like that, BUT they’re a lot easier than you’d expect. I feel like over time I’ve mastered the art of the ‘perfect insta’ smoothie bowl.
So firstly, let’s talk about your blender. I use the Vitamix Explorian E310. Now I’m definitely not saying go out and buy a Vitamix, because trust me I know they’re hella expensive, but its something I’ve wanted to invest in for a long time. So blender wise the best type in my opinion would be a full-sized kitchen blender with a tamper. The tamper is key to a smooth, thick smoothie bowl, as it allows you to push the fruit down into the blade. By doing this it also allows for less liquid, which is another key point for a thick smoothie bowl. Ninja have some great options if you’ve got around £100-£150 to spend. I’ve linked one HERE. Another option you could use is a stick blender. This is a super affordable option, and is also great if you don’t have much space to store your blender. If you are using a stick blender then you will need some patience as its not as powerful as a full-sized kitchen blender. When using the stick blender you may have to stop every now and again to scrape down the sides and mix it up, to ensure you get the smoothest blend. You may also need to use more liquid in this case, as like I mentioned before the blender isn’t as powerful and may need that extra help. The last option I would suggest is a standard one portion blender. Like with the stick blender you will need some patience, as in this case you don’t have a tamper to help push the fruit into the blades. I would suggest stopping every now and again, and using a spatula to mix up the fruit. You will most likely need to use more liquid too, to get a smoother, creamier smoothie bowl. I’ve previously used a Nutribullet, and found it worked quite well as a beginner.
So now you’ve chosen your blender its time to choose your fruit. My main tip is to ensure all of your fruit is frozen, as this will give you the creamiest, thickest consistency. The best fruit to use as the base is 100% bananas. I typically use about 2-3 frozen bananas, depending on how big of a portion I want. If you don’t like banana, then another option could be Mango or Avocado. Once you’ve got your base ingredient I like to add about 1/4-1/2 a cup of another fruit, such as blueberries, strawberries, pineapple etc. Smoothie bowls are completely personal to you and your taste though, so if you want to pack it full of different fruits, then you do that, if you want just banana, then that’s fine too.
So you’ve chosen your base ingredients, now its time to choose your liquid. My favourite option is coconut water, but you could use plain water or any milk of your choice. When adding your liquid you want to start with a splash. The more you add the thinner your smoothie bowl will be, so by starting with a splash you can add to it as you blend to get the consistency you like.
Once you’ve got these basics, you can get really creative. You can add in any sort of powders, seeds, nut butters etc. A few of my favourites are as followed:
hemp seeds
flax seeds
chia seeds
protein powder
spirulina
acai powder
matcha powder
peanut or almond butter
This is where you can up the protein content, add in healthy fats, fibre etc.
Once you’ve blended your smoothie bowl, gotten it as smooth and creamy as you desire, pop it into your bowl of choice. My bowl is from a local zero waste shop, and I love it. You can find similar ones HERE and HERE. Now you can get creative. I love to add granola, whatever fruit I have, hemp seeds, flax seeds and loads of nut butter. Arrange it all pretty or just chuck it all on, and dig in.
I hope this post helped you to create the Insta worthy smoothie bowl of your dreams! Enjoy
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