The Best Banana-Free Acai Bowl

The Best Banana-Free Acai Bowl

by | Aug 11, 2018 | Health, Home, Recipes

After my candida prevention protocol, following my wisdom teeth surgery, I wasn’t eating fruit.  I may have consumed a few dates here and there but I largely stayed away from fruit.  I finally feel like my body is in a better place where it can tolerate fruit so I’m siked to enjoy some of my old favorite foods!

HELLO ACAI SMOOTHIE BOWLSSSS 💃💃💃

My elimination diet showed me that ripe bananas aren’t all that great for me.  Barely yellow bananas are more tolerable but the nice, sweet, RIPE bananas I enjoyed before throw off my blood sugar.  Therefore, I’m choosing to keep my banana intake to a minimum.  So how else can you get a smoothie bowl to taste sweet and creamy sans bananas?  I’m about to show you! 😉

Frozen fruit & veg – As you may remember from my Sweet & Fluffy Smoothie Bowl post, FROZEN ingredients are always the way to go to make a smoothie thicker.  I also make sure to include a powerhouse fruit like MANGO to help compensate for the flavors banana would otherwise provide.

Yogurt – A game-changing ingredient that provides some creaminess and body.  Use whatever kind you like but this Forager Project one is the best dairy-free kind I’ve tried!

Superfoods – I like to throw in some flax mixed with water—a “flax egg”—for creaminess and fiber.  The addition of protein powder also helps to provide staying power and more substance than the typical acai shop bowl.   I like a neutral-tasting protein powder such as hemp because it allows the acai and fruit flavors to take center stage.

If you’re into lower sugar or alternative ways to make your favorite sweet treats, then you’ll love this bowl!  Tell me what your go-to smoothie order or combination is in the comments down below 🙂

Ingredients:

½ of a 5.3 oz container of yogurt (or ¼ cup), I used Forager Project Cashewgurt

A handful of frozen spinach (about ½ cup)

1 flax egg (or 1 tbsp flax but soaking it helps make it bind better)

½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries*

¼ cup frozen mango chunks

1 packet of frozen acai puree, I used Sambazon Pure Unsweetened Acai

2 tbsp hemp seed protein powder, I used Nutiva hemp protein

Toppings: local bee pollen, homemade granola, more blueberries, and peanut-cashew butter

Directions:

  1. If you haven’t yet made a flax egg, add the tablespoon of ground flax plus three tablespoons of water to the blender and wait 5 minutes for it to thicken.
  2. Then, add all of the other ingredients to a blender or food processor (my lazy go-to) and blend until thoroughly combined.
  3. Serve in a bowl with whatever fresh toppings your heart desires! I like berries but you can totally skip fruit toppings and opt for low-sugar granola, nut butter, bee pollen, and coconut. (Okay, usually I add coconut but I forgot this time!) 

Note: *If using fresh blueberries, your smoothie bowl will be a little more liquidy than frozen but it is still delicious! 

Be sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram if you make this smoothie bowl! @melaniemakesithappen #melmakesithappen 😀

I hope you enjoy this Banana-Free Acai Bowl as much as I do! xoxo

Banana Tahini Shake – My current FAVE

Banana Tahini Shake – My current FAVE

by | May 9, 2017 | Health, Home, Recipes

Alright, alright, alright!  How is everyone doing today?  It is Tuesday and it’s time to break out the tahini! Can that be a thing?  Move over tacos, it’s Tahini Tuesday! 😆

It’s no secret that smoothies are my favorite thing ever and if I can sneak some vegetables in them, that’s even better.  Too much fruit in a smoothie can spike my blood sugar and leave me crashing with hanger mid-morning.  That doesn’t mean fruit is a no-go, it just means I need to include a little something extra to stabilize my energy and keep hunger at bay.  A recent discovery that I’ve made in regards to my smoothies is the power of HEALTHY FATS.

I used to be so scared of using oil or eating peanut butter and avocados (not necessarily together), but now I know that a moderate amount of fat is A-okay!  Plus, I eat mostly plant-based so when I include healthy fats, I’m add a satiating element to my meals.

Banana Tahini Shake

So, back to the Banana Tahini Shake!  Technically it could fall under the “smoothie” category but it is so rich and comforting that it feels like a shake to me.  Shakes are usually loaded up with ice cream, dairy milk, and sugar but mine is sweetened with banana.  It’s more than healthy enough for breakfast for sure!  Plus, the addition of tahini really helps round out the smoothie/shake.  It is…

Uniquely satisfying,

Subtly sweet,

And perfectly thick.

I have been digging this for weeks now and I’m very excited to share it!  Let me know if you try it out 🙂

Banana Tahini Shake Header

 

Banana Tahini Shake
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Zucchini adds fiber, tahini adds satiating fats, and banana brings home the sweetness in this simple Banana Tahini Shake.
Ingredients
  • ¼ large frozen zucchini (about ½ cup chopped)
  • 1 med frozen banana
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • a dash of black pepper
  • ½ inch knob of fresh ginger, frozen (I like the zestiness of it but you can sub ground)
  • 1-2 tbsp of tahini,
  • 1 serving of plant-based protein powder, optional
  • ¾ cup – 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • Barbara’s Bakery Puffins or other cereal, optional
Instructions
  1. Add zucchini, banana, and ginger to a blender or food processor and 3/4 cup of almond milk. Blend away! Then add the spices, tahini, and protein powder. Add more milk, if needed.
  2. Serve the smoothie in a glass with some low-sugar cereal of choice, if desired. Best enjoyed with a spoon and straw.
Notes
I used The Natural Citizen Organic Protein but any other plant-based protein should work just fine!