Kale and avocado form the base of this smoothie bowl supplemented with matcha, spirulina, and chia seeds. Frozen mangoes, blueberries, and banana add natural sweetness and a lovely fruity flavor to this vegan and gluten free smoothie bowl.
It seems that green smoothies and juices are still all the rage as they tend to populate my instagram and pinterest feeds on the regular. Their vibrant hues make you feel healthier simply by looking at them. They’ve become so mainstream that I think a lot of us (myself included) tend to forget why we need greens in the first place. I think the tendency is to see the color and think “HEALTH!” or “DETOX!”. So, in an effort to offer a bit of insight into the health behind the color, here’s a little breakdown of what’s in the smoothie bowl I’m sharing with you today:
Kale
Loaded with vitamin K (promotes bone health/strength & protects against things like liver and prostate cancer); contains organosulfur compounds (these are found in members of the brassica family and appear to be able to lessen the occurrence of a wide variety of cancers); excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, dietary fiber, and potassium; antioxidant rich; highly alkaline (helps balance the pH and acidity in the body)
Avocado
Packed with carotenoids (helps protect against eye diseases); full of both soluble & insoluble fiber (helps keep the digestive system in good order & slows the breakdown of carbs to help you feel fuller longer); good source of monounsaturated fat (slows digestion & helps keep blood sugar from spiking); good source of folate (keeps the heart healthy and is associated with lowering risks of heart disease)
Matcha
Packed with antioxidants (prevent aging & chronic disease); rich in fiber & chlorophyll (natural detoxifier that works to eliminate chemicals & heavy metals from the body); rich in L-theanine (and amino acid that promotes concentration & clarity of mind)
Spirulina
Good source of vegan protein (contains roughly 60-70% by weight); rich in chlorophyll (stimulates new cell growth, builds blood, neutralizes toxins, fights infection); contains all of the amino acids; strengthens the immune system; raises pH of the body to a more alkaline state; promotes bowel health
So basically, these greens are superfoods! They do so much to repair and replenish our bodies, especially if our diet hasn’t been the greatest. And, they are amazing natural preventatives for disease when consumed regularly. Now it’s easy to understand why the world has become obsessed with green juices and smoothies 🙂
Super Greens Smoothie Bowl
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Kale and avocado form the base of this smoothie bowl supplemented with matcha, spirulina, and chia seeds. Frozen mangoes, blueberries, and banana add natural sweetness and a lovely fruity flavor to this vegan and gluten free smoothie bowl.
Ingredients
- 2–3 large leaves of kale or chard
- flesh of 1/2 an avocado
- juice of 1 blood orange
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 small frozen banana
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 tsp ground or fresh ginger
- 1 tsp matcha powder
- 1 tsp spirulina
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup (or more) of nut milk
- suggested toppings: coconut flakes, buckwheat groats, chia seeds, granola, muesli
Instructions
Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend away! Add more (or less) nut milk to achieve your desired consistency. Top with whatever your heart desires. This time I went with coconut flakes, buckwheat groats, and chia seeds.
Makes 1 large or 2 smaller servings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: smoothie
I’m going to be really honest with you right now and let you in a little behind the scenes secret. This post and the last post were mostly inspired by what was left rolling around in my fridge and pantry. I didn’t go to the store or farmers market specifically for ingredients. I pretty much let some ideas rolling around in my head and what was available in my kitchen blend together to inspire the recipes. It was an organic process, seeing what was available then going from there. And, it’s a great practice in resourcefulness. It keeps me on my toes and keeps veggies from being forgotten and eventually tossed out because they are way past their prime.
