Learn how to make a Spirulina Smoothie Bowl with this healthy recipe that has almond butter protein!
In an ideal world, I would be able to sit down every morning to a well-balanced, healthy breakfast, have time to clean up the kitchen and maybe even drink my coffee while it’s warm. But, I live in mom world; even on the smoothest, easy going mornings, this never happens. The last time I drank my coffee hot without intervention from the microwave was nearly four years ago. No worries, though, I have come to love and appreciate coffee in all its many varieties.
So what does my morning typically look like?
545am Octavian wakes up
545-630am He rolls around in bed while I try to ignore the fact that he is awake. I usually get poked, kicked and crawled on, but 545?! I just can’t.
645am I put on clothes and brush my teeth. That is all. I literally do nothing else to get ready.
650am COFFEE! but don’t let this fool you. I may get the coffee ready, but I usually only get one sip before moving on to…
652-755am Breakfast / packing lunch or making lunch / unloading or loading the dish washer / more dishes /bribing my child to sit down and eat something (repeat, repeat, repeat) / vacuuming / laundry / email check/ distract meltdowns/ etc.
755am Get my child dressed/locate lost shoe
8am Microwave coffee. Take a sip.
805am Start making our way out the door
815am Drive Octavian to school
Is that not the most exciting morning EVER!? I know, I can hardly contain myself every morning too when I feel my child starting to stir and it’s not even light outside. But, monotony aside, I also love the morning. Typically, it’s when my child is in the best mood and yes, it’s the start to a brand new day.
How do you guys start your morning? Am I the only one that also loves to read about other peoples’ routines? No? Oh phew! Well, just in case you are like me, you can head over to One Small Blonde and Style to my Street to see how they get their day started.
For those of you not interested in reading about bookend routines (in many ways I don’t blame you), don’t worry, there’s food.
Who has heard of Spirulina powder??
If you frequent Instagram you may have noticed a recent explosion of blue and green smoothie bowls. What’s this crazy color all about? Spirulina. Spirulina, simply put, is an algae (cynobacteria) powder that has become popular thanks to its high levels of protein, antioxidents, B-vitamins and other minerals. It is the new “super food”. That said, a word of caution- always but Spirulina from a reputable source. After all, you are eating algae, so make sure it’s the good stuff. People with PKU, taking anti-coagulation medication or autoimmune diseases should definitely consult a doctor before adding this to your diet.
Anywho, being a food blogger and all, naturally I had to try the stuff for myself. Given the warnings that Spirulina can taste like pond water, I decided that a smoothie bowl would be the best way to get it down. This green goodness is a mix of banana, mango (so good in smoothies!!!), almond milk, almond butter (my fav!) and a small handful of spinach. The real fun, however, came with the toppings. My new topping obsession are cocoa nibs and coconut chips. A little sprinkle of each of these adds so much flavor and texture to any smoothie bowl.
So, you may be wondering if it tasted like pond water? No, not in my opinion. HOWEVER, I do not recommend sprinkling additional powder on top of your smoothie bowl like you see below. That was for photo effect. The Spirulina powder is better mixed in with other ingredients 🙂
Almond Butter Spirulina Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed mango - fresh or frozen
- 1 frozen banana - sliced
- 1 cup non-dairy milk such as coconut or almond milk - check to make sure they are Gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 small handful fresh spinach
- 2 teaspoon organic spirulina powder
- Optional: 1/2 cup yogurt - keep in mind that dairy yogurt no longer makes it vegan or dairy-free
- Toppings: Unsweetened coconut chips - Gluten-free oats, chia seeds, coco nibs, additional almond butter
Instructions
- Place frozen fruit, milk of choice, almond butter, spinach, spirulina powder and yogurt (if desired) in the bowl of a high powered blender and process until fully blended, scraping down the sides as needed. If smoothie is too thick, slowly add additional milk until your blender is able to process the frozen fruit chunks.
- Pour smoothie into a bowl and sprinkle with your favorite toppings.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
The color!! This looks so yummy. I just learned all about the benefits of algae- excited to share your recipe. Thank you.
Great idea of adding the spinach! Definitely going to do that next time, love the color!
Yum!