Healthy Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

This healthy chocolate smoothie bowl is a super thick and satisfying treat made with a base of frozen bananas—easy to make at home in just 5 minutes with 5 simple ingredients. Vegan, gluten free, nut free and soy free.

Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl

• High in antioxidants
• Promotes gut health
• Extra thick texture

This healthy chocolate smoothie bowl is an easy-to-make breakfast with many health benefits. It can also be enjoyed as a simple yet delicious snack or dessert. There are no difficult to find ingredients in this recipe so as long as you have a blender you can make this classic smoothie bowl!

Frozen bananas are used to create the base of this smoothie bowl. Bananas are high in fibre which acts as a prebiotic to good gut bacteria, helping maintain optimal gut flora levels. These common fruits are also one of the best sources of potassium, which helps to reduce bloating by flushing excess water from the body. Using frozen bananas is a great was to achieve a thick and creamy smoothie bowl consistency.

The rich chocolate flavour of this smoothie comes from cocoa powder. Cocoa powder has a number of health benefits including improved cognitive health, reduction of inflammation and reduced risk of heart disease. Polyphenols are the antioxidant compounds in cocoa powder that improve blood sugar levels and prevent cell damage.

Ingredients Needed

These are the ingredients you will need to make this healthy chocolate smoothie bowl.

Himalayan salt: Balances out the sweetness and brings depth to the other ingredients.

Raw cacao powder: Gives the smoothie bowl its chocolate flavour.

Agave syrup: Adds extra sweetness, optional.

Frozen bananas: Creates the thick, creamy base of the smoothie bowl.

Coconut milk: The liquid that brings all of the other ingredients together to blend smoothly and adds a creamy consistency.

For ingredient amounts and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Benefits

High fibre

Easily get more fibre in your every day diet! In addition to being generally healthy, getting enough fibre can be extremely helpful for weight loss as it helps keep you feeling full for longer, without adding calories. Fibre also helps improve our gut health.

Nutrient dense

Vegan smoothie bowls are a great way to get more nutrient rich foods in each day. By blending them into a single meal, it’s super quick, easy and fun! Choose ingredients like dark leafy greens, berries, nuts, seeds and fruits to make your smoothie bowls nutrient rich.

Quick and easy

It’s incredibly fast to make a yummy smoothie bowl. Gather your ingredients and toss them in the blending container, blend, and you’re already done! Rinse the blender container. It doesn’t get much more simple than that. Smoothie bowls rarely take more than 5 minutes to make. This makes them a great option if you find yourself short on time for a healthy meal.

Variations

Make it dark chocolate

To make this smoothie bowl taste like a dark chocolate bar add 2 extra tablespoons of cocoa powder to the blender. The result will be richer in deep chocolate flavour and more bitter, just like a real dark chocolate bar. If it gets too bitter add some more agave syrup to balance the sweetness level.

Try an alternative plant milk

This recipe uses coconut milk but you can try using any plant based milk you prefer. Some alternatives include oat, soy, almond or cashew! You can also make your own plant milk from scratch.

Experiment with toppings

Finding the perfect combination of toppings is one of the best things about smoothie bowls. The right toppings will add wonderful texture and flavour to your already delicious smoothie base. Keep things interesting and try new toppings often!

Instructions 

• Add all ingredients to blender.

• Start blending at low speed for 5-10 seconds. Increase to high speed and blend for 1-2 minutes. Use the blender tamper to push ingredients down towards the blades.

• Scoop into a bowl and add desired toppings. Serve your healthy chocolate smoothie bowl immediately!

Prep & Blending

Add ingredients in the correct order

Always add liquid ingredients to your blender first. Then add powders, nut butters, nuts and seeds. Then add fresh greens and fresh fruit. Finally add your solid ingredients like frozen fruit. If using a small blender container with a twist on lid, reverse the order so that when you turn the container over to blend the frozen ingredients are farthest away from the blades.

Use a tamper

Push ingredients down towards the blades while blending using the tamper that comes with your blender. This helps to avoid thick smoothie bowls from getting stuck, so you don’t have to stop blending and scrape down the sides of the container.

Avoid over blending

Try to blend your smoothie bowl for less than a couple of minutes. If blended for too long, even thick smoothie bowls will become thin. This is because the heat generated by the blades and motor of the blender heat up your ingredients while they are being blended.

Use a high power blender

For smoothie bowls that have a perfectly smooth and creamy texture use a high powered blender such as a Vitamix. A Vitamix can break down any ingredients to much finer particles than standard blenders, and more nutrients are released. A high speed blender also reduces the time you need to blend your recipe, which helps keep it nice and cold.

Chill your bowl

By placing your smoothie bowl in the freezer for a few moments you can help your smoothie bowl stay cool for longer. This way it won’t start melting instantly while you are eating it. This is especially helpful if you’re in a hot climate. Pop it into the freezer while you are prepping and blending, then take it out when it’s time to pour your finished smoothie bowl!

FAQ’s

Is this chocolate smoothie bowl healthy?

Yes, this smoothie bowl is high in nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and fibre. It’s a healthy treat that can be enjoyed guilt-free. It’s also easy to customize if you have specific nutrition goals—like consuming a high protein diet. Simply add your favourite plant based protein powder to the recipe.

Can I lose weight with smoothie bowls?

Smoothie bowls are an excellent weight loss food! This is because they are generally healthier and higher in fibre and nutrients. Due to high water content, the large volume of a smoothie bowl helps your stomach to feel satiated. And the fibre keeps you feeling full for longer, without feeling weighed down or tired.

Can smoothie bowls be refrigerated?

Smoothie bowls are best enjoyed immediately after blending, while they are freshest. However you can refrigerate most smoothie bowls for 1-2 days in an airtight container such as a jar. Be aware the consistency will not be as thick as a fresh smoothie bowl.

Can I make smoothie bowls without a high speed blender?

Yes, you can still make smoothie bowls with a regular blender. It might take more patience depending on the recipe, but it can work. Turn off the blender to scrape down the sides of the container, and secure the lid before continuing to blend. Repeat as needed. Alternatively you can add a small amount of additional liquid to the recipe, which should help.

How can I increase the protein?

If you wish for your smoothie bowl to have a higher protein content, you can simply add (more) protein powder to the recipe. Plain unsweetened plant based protein will work in any smoothie bowl. Alternatively you can try adding hemp seeds or even silken tofu.

Related

Chocolate Protein Smoothie Bowl

Chocolate Tahini Smoothie Bowl

Vanilla Banana Smoothie Bowl

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie Bowl 

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