Sweet and Fluffy Smoothie Bowl

Sweet and Fluffy Smoothie Bowl

Have you ever wondered how to make your smoothies ultra thick and fluffy but just end up with a flat fruity liquid?  Stay tuned for my top fluffy smoothie tips!

As I write this, I’m currently at home, in my comfy clothes, and with a mouth full of stitches.  Okay, that sounds dramatic but, with all seriousness, I did just get my wisdom teeth removed.  I know the thought of dentists and teeth weirds some people out so go ahead and skip to the bottom if you’re just here for the recipe.  

Ever since November of last year, I knew 2018 was going to be the year I would get my wisdom teeth removed.  My dentist has been telling me they were surfacing and close to pushing on my other teeth.  So, after my last dental check-up, I just bit the bullet and made an appointment. 

I’ve never had cavities or any big problems with my teeth so I can’t say I had too many concerns going in.  Obviously the pain was concerning.  Also, the fact that I would need to take some days off of work for recuperation was concerning (since I’m currently on my first year probationary period).   Though, the real fright came the day of my wisdom teeth extraction when I got some news sprung on me.

While I was prepared to get all four of my teeth pulled out, I was not prepared for was the information my dentist gave me that day.  Apparently, my two bottom teeth were literally grazing the top of a very sensitive nerve canal in my jaw.  Basically, my dentist said, if the nerve gets damaged during the extraction, I could end up with numbness for a few weeks, months, or even a lifetime. 

Perfect timing to break this to me, doc.

The chances were super slim.  Apparently 99% people who have that occur will regain feeling within six months.  So, I mean, my wisdom teeth were still wreaking havoc in my mouth… I figured I just needed to go through with the procedure as planned.

Thankfully, I’m here three days later and I’m okay.  My cheeks are super swollen but I hardly have pain so that is good.  I was even able to eat some solid (but soft) food today!  Yay!

Let’s keep up the spirit of celebration by talking about this Sweet and Fluffy Smoothie Bowl, yeah?

Sometimes a drinkable smoothie is good.  Sometimes a thick frozen puree is calling my name.  And sometimes, I’m craving a fluffy cloud for breakfast.  Anyone else?

If you have trouble getting your smoothie fluffy, use these ingredients:

Frozen banana – a usual suspect in smoothies but undeniably the best creamy and naturally sweet addition.

Chia seeds – add a tablespoon to your smoothie liquid (milk or water) to soak before adding the rest of your ingredients.  Trust me.  The soaked chia makes ALL the difference.

Ground flaxseed – follow the same method for the chia seeds for an easy, nutritious way to add body to a smoothie.

Frozen mango – serves to add thickness and fluff, and sweetness, just like banana.

Frozen cauliflower – the trendy fruit-free smoothie thickener.  When mixed with other berries, spices, or flavored powders, it will remain unrecognizable in your smoothie.  Try my Sweet Potato Cinnamon Peach Smoothie!

Frozen zucchini – you’ve seen me use this in previous smoothies like my Green Banana Tahini Shake and Zucchini Smoothie Bowl.  I love using this light and easily digestible vegetable to give my smoothie some body.

Protein powder – it’s hard to get a fruit-only smoothie to be fluffy but add in some protein powder and suddenly it becomes a thick shake-like texture.

And for a new fluffy smoothie ingredient discovery of mine…oat milk!

Oat milk – make your own by soaking half a cup of dry rolled oats in 2-3 cups of water.  Blend and strain as you would nut milk (reserve the oat pulp for overnight oats!).  The starchiness from the oats releases into the water which helps add incredible thickness to any smoothie.

This list of ingredients is not comprehensive but it does include my go-to choices for making a delicious, thick smoothie.  Tinker around with whichever ingredients sound good to you.  Mix one or two with your favorite fruit or greens and let me know what you think!

If you want a little inspiration for how to combine some of these fluff-boosters then look no further.

sweet and fluffy smoothie bowl

The addition of Minimalist Baker’s Rawnola, bee pollen, and ground flax make this breakfast bowl a real treat.

Sweet and Fluffy Smoothie Bowl
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Vegan
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 bowl
I use a combination of my top fluff-boosters to make this ultra creamy, dreamy, and fluffy smoothie bowl!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup oat milk
  • ¼ cup frozen cauliflower
  • ½ cup frozen mango
  • 1 tbsp frozen banana
  • 1 scoop vanilla plant-based protein powder
  • Optional toppings: frozen blueberries, Minimalist Baker’s rawnola, bee pollen, ground flax
Instructions
  1. Add ¾ cup of the milk and frozen goods to the blender. Process until everything is nice and smooth.
  2. Add the protein powder and, if needed, the remaining milk to the blender.
  3. Let the blender run for at least a minute. The longer it blends, the more the ingredients get whipped (aka FLUFFY).
  4. Once your smoothie is sufficiently fluffed, pour it into a bowl and add whatever toppings you like. I’ve been loving rawnola and bee pollen lately but coconut or fresh fruit would also be good! Enjoy!

sweet and fluffy smoothie bowl

Thanks so much for reading!  I am living off of pureed soups and smoothies these days but you definitely don’t need to have your wisdom teeth pulled out to enjoy this baby.  If you give it a try—or if you try using any of my favorite fluff-boosters—let me know what you think!  xoxo

 

Carrot Mango Tumeric Smoothie

Carrot Mango Tumeric Smoothie

As much as I love berries in a smoothie, I hardly make the same smoothie twice.  I like to change up my smoothies and they vary based on what I have on hand.  Fortunately, carrot is a vegetable that I pretty much always have on hand.  At times, I may even go through a 4-5lb bag of carrots in two weeks!

So, carrots are a recommended vegetable for my follicular phase and I’ve found a way to sneak them into a smoothie without it tasting like carrot mush.  Additionally, I have a huge bag of frozen mango in my freezer that I’ve been stumped on how to use.  Surprise, surprise: it pairs perfectly with carrot!  You guys can leave me a comment if you’ve got some smoothie recipes to use mango. 🙂  I can’t tolerate too much sugar at once and this smoothie is just the right amount of sweet thanks to Tone it Up Vanilla Protein Powder.

Also, this smoothie is so simple that it doesn’t even require cooking or freezing the carrots beforehand.  Though, I bet roasted and frozen carrots would be a delicious substitute.  Just stick with classic orange carrots and not the heirloom variety because those aren’t as sweet!

carrot mango tumeric smoothie
This smoothie is like drinking sunshine! It’s so fresh!

Carrot Mango Tumeric Smoothie
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 smoothie
Ingredients
  • One super large carrot, peeled and chopped (or sub 2 small-medium sized carrots)
  • 1/3 cup frozen mango
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • ¾ cup cashew milk or water
  • A scoop of vanilla plant-based protein*
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • Optional 1 tbsp flax and 1 teaspoon coconut butter or peanut butter (I added them after photo)**
Instructions
  1. In a blender, throw the chopped carrot or carrots and process until finely chopped.
  2. Next, add the mango, ice cubes, cashew milk, turmeric, and black pepper and blend. You may want to add in an extra ¼ cup of milk or water if you want the smoothie thinner. Though, I found it was drinkable as written.
  3. Then, enjoy! I don’t know what’s faster: the time it takes to make the smoothie or how fast I drink it up. 😛
Notes
*Unlike my other smoothie recipes, this one is on the thinner side so it’s important to use a protein that fluffs. Tone it Up Protein or Nuzest Protein are good options. You may need to double the ingredients if you use a protein like ALOHA or The Natural Citizen which do not thicken smoothies as well.[br][br]**The benefits of turmeric are enhanced when paired with black pepper and a fat. Together, the body can absorb the curcumin much better.

carrot mango tumeric smoothie

Mango Blackberry Coconut Baked Oatmeal

Mango Blackberry Coconut Baked Oatmeal

You all know I enjoy cooking, but I can also appreciate the savior that is meal-prepping.  It makes a difference to batch-cook entrees or staples items to have easy to assemble meals throughout the week.  I thought lunch, dinner, and snacks were the only thing worth prepping until today.  This past weekend I whipped up a Mango Blackberry Coconut Oatmeal Bake for my family breakfast and got to ride the wave of leftovers for two days.   And let me tell ya…

Oatmeal bakes are highly underrated. 

Not only is the one-dish meal convenient for feeding a crowd but it keeps really well, too!  It tastes amazing on Day 1 but then something magical happens when the leftovers go into your fridge.  The texture gets better and the flavors meld together even more (similar to the way banana bread gets better the day after you bake it)!  Leftovers keep well for up to 5 days in the fridge. You can eat it cold, if you prefer, but I like to reheat a portion in the microwave for a minute, then add it to a cast-iron skillet greased with coconut oil so the bottom gets crispy. 😉  Oooh yeaaah.

Plus, if I haven’t already convinced you, baked oatmeal is versatile and a great way to use up lots of fruit.  My inspiration for baked oatmeal actually comes as an adaptation of a Love and Lemons recipe for Blueberry Coconut Baked Oatmeal.  Her recipe is splendid but this tropical version with mango and plump juicy blackberries is so perfect for summer! 😀

This bake can be assembled ahead of time or simply the day you want to serve it.

Also, don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients.  You likely have most of them on hand already and, if not, sub in what you do have!  I like making the oatmeal mixture the night before so that way all I need to do is slip it into the oven in the morning.  EASY.  The oatmeal could also be assembled and baked straight away if that’s more your thing. My instructions are for the latter option but do what works for you.

Mango blackberry coconut baked oatmeal

If you like oatmeal, also be sure to check out my single-serving

Zucchini Stovetop Oatmeal!  It is chewy, creamy, and involves zero fruit!

Mango blackberry coconut baked oatmeal

Who’s making this for weekend brunch? 🙋 Drop me a comment or tag me on Instagram if you do!

Mango Blackberry Coconut Baked Oatmeal
Recipe Type: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons warm water
  • ¾ cup water or almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¾ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp coconut extract (optional)
  • 2 cups whole rolled oats
  • ½ cup chopped or slivered almonds (save half for topping)
  • ⅔ cup coconut flakes (save half for topping)
  • 1 cup packed diced mango (from about 2 large mangoes)
  • ½ – 1 cup blackberries (mixed in or as topping)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8-inch (or 9×11) baking dish with coconut oil or use cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed and warm water and set aside to thicken for about 5 minutes.
  3. Then, combine the water OR almond milk, coconut oil, and brown sugar and whisk to combine.
  4. Next, add in the baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and extracts. Stir in the rolled oats and HALF of the almonds and coconut flakes.
  5. Mix in the mango (and blackberries, if desired. I like to serve them fresh, as shown in the photo) before pouring the mixture into a baking dish. Cover the top with reserved coconut flakes and chopped almonds, lightly pressing the toppings into the oatmeal.
  6. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is crisp and golden. If the coconut flakes have browned then definitely remove the bake from the oven.
  7. Lastly, let the oatmeal cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Top with as many fresh blackberries as your heart desires!
Notes
You can substitute whatever fruit you like. I find that 1-1 ½ cups of fruit is ideal. The bake is only lightly sweetened but you can add in an extra ¼ cup of either sugar if your fruit isn’t very sweet or if you just prefer sweeter food.

Mango blackberry coconut baked oatmeal 

Adapted from: Love and Lemons Blueberry Coconut Baked Oatmeal