I never knew what a smoothie bowl was until I started seeing photos of them invading my Instagram account. It was only during our most recent trip to Bali, where I thought I would give the “Red dragon fruit smoothie bowl” a try. Local exotic fruit is like no other – fresh and full of flavour. After my first bite, I was instantly hooked.

You may be wondering, what is a smoothie bowl? It literally is a smoothie in a bowl. But because you need a spoon to drink it, the consistency is much thicker. Smoothie bowls are great to make during this time of year. Yes, I know it’s cold outside, but it also means that fresh local fruit is not readily available. Frozen fruit are a nutritious, tasty and inexpensive alternative. Because they’re picked at their nutritional peak and flash frozen, they retain all their nutrients.

Once your smoothie is good-to-go, try topping it with protein-rich boosters. I opted for chia seeds (ch-ch-ch-chia), hemp hearts (no, you will not have those side effects), and almonds. You can find some of these ingredients at bulk stores, the health section of grocery stores, and even Costco! They’re even great to top onto salads and yogurt. If you don’t have these ingredients at home, top it with whatever’s on hand: granola, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, walnuts…the sky is the limit!

The best part of smoothie bowls is that they’ll keep you full for hours. If you’re like me and are in a rush morning, blend it the night before, keep in the fridge, and add your toppings the next day.

• 1/2 cup (125ml) 1% milk
• 1/4 cup (60ml) vanilla greek yogurt
• 1/2 banana
• 3/4 cup (180ml) frozen cherries, blueberries and blackberries

• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) hemp hearts
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) almonds
• 2 Tbsp (30ml) granola

1. In a blender, blend milk, greek yogurt and frozen berry mix.
2. Top with seeds, nuts, and granola.

Nutrition Analysis:

Per serving: 400 kcal, 15g fat (2g saturated), 60g carbohydrates,14g fiber, 15g protein, 85 mg sodium