I make smoothie bowls for my family almost every day. The primary reason why they are on a regular rotation in my household is because my toddler is super picky, but he loves smoothies. His first word when he wakes up in the morning is “smoothie,” (I kid you not), and he typically asks for one in the afternoon as well. Given that the rest of his diet is comprised of sandwiches, snacks, and pouches (thank goodness for these pouches), I am more than happy to have a smoothie on his daily menu.
Even with a Vitamix, making smoothie bowls can be a time consuming process. It used to take me minutes to tamp together all of those frozen ingredients until a creamy consistency was reached. I like mine thick, and sometimes it would take just the right ratio of almond milk and a lot of elbow grease to get the desired result. I went through a stint during which I would place all of the ingredients in the blender first thing in the morning (~6AM), and then when we were ready to eat a few hours later (~9AM), the slightly thawed fruits and vegetables were easier to blend. Then one evening, as I was doing some food prep for the next day, I had a thought: what would happen if I prepped the blender the night before?
Here is my hack for a perfectly creamy smoothie bowl (no measurements needed): The night before, place all of the ingredients in the blender (all of my ingredients are frozen, except for the leafy greens). Place the blender in the refrigerator. Pull it out first thing the next morning, and when you are ready to blend, add any other superfoods or protein powder, use the tamper until smooth and creamy. Here are the ingredients that I use:
- Homemade smoothie cubes
- Frozen cauliflower rice
- Frozen zucchini
- A couple handfuls of fresh leafy greens (spinach, kale)
- Frozen banana
- Frozen wild blueberries (or berries of choice)
Before blending, I also add
- Vanilla protein powder (Be Well By Kelly and Truvani are my favorites)
- Chia seeds or psyllium husk
- Spirulina
I always use some of the smoothie to prep some more smoothie cubes for the next batch. You can use an ice cube tray or a silicone mold.
It has become a personal motto that the more I can prepare for the next day the night before, the better off I will be! This is a prime example. Happy blending!
