Thick Kiwi Smoothie Bowl

This thick kiwi smoothie bowl is a tropical treat with 17 grams of plant protein! Good for your skin, gut health and more, this smoothie bowl is easy to make in 5 minutes with 5 ingredients. Vegan, gluten free and soy free.

Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl

• Ultra thick
• Has 17 grams of protein
• High in antioxidants

This thick kiwi smoothie bowl is simple and delicious. Kiwis are an often underrated fruit with many benefits and a juicy tropical flavour. The key to creating a thick kiwi smoothie bowl is the ingredients that go along with the frozen kiwi. By adding the perfect blend of healthy ingredients we will create a smoothie bowl that is ultra thick and refreshing!

Kiwis are a small fruit with a thin fuzzy brown skin. When sliced open the fruit is light green or golden in colour. Kiwis have rows of edible tiny black seeds and a juicy, soft texture. If you blend only frozen kiwis the result will be icy and slightly slushy. This is because of the high water content of the fruit. So it’s best to combine kiwi with other fruits and ingredients for smoothie bowls.

The best fruit combination for a kiwi smoothie bowl is kiwi and mango! The flavours of mango and kiwi are incredible together—wonderfully tropical, sweet and slightly tart. Mango also adds gut-healthy enzymes and a unique antioxidant called mangiferin. Mangiferin is found only in mangos and is a powerful cell protectant.

Kiwi for Health

There are many health benefits to eating kiwifruit. One of the biggest benefits is the high amount of vitamin C kiwis provide! Green kiwis contain up to 120 mg in 100 grams of fruit, while the golden variety contain up to 161 mg! That’s almost three times the vitamin C found in oranges or strawberries. Vitamin C is essential to maintain a healthy immune system. It also encourages collagen production and wound healing, both factors for healthy skin.

Kiwis are packed with antioxidant compounds. These lower oxidative stress and inflammation. Kiwifruit may also be helpful in managing weight because it is low in calories but high in fibre and volume. Kiwis can improve insulin resistance and blood sugar levels, making them extra helpful during weight loss.

Ingredients Needed

These are the ingredients you will need to make this thick kiwi smoothie bowl.

Cashew butter: Lends a creamy consistency to this tropical bowl. Can be swapped for almond butter if preferred. Don’t skip this!

Protein powder: Any vanilla or plain vegan protein powder works well in this smoothie bowl. Use either a sweetened or unsweetened type depending on your preference.

Frozen kiwi & mango: Use store bought frozen kiwi and mango chunks or freeze your own fruit at home.

Coconut milk: The liquid that brings all of the other ingredients together to blend smoothly and adds a creamy consistency. The type that comes in a carton, the can type tends to be too thick.

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 with smoothie bowls! 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

Mango substitutions

If mango isn’t your thing, don’t worry. There are other fruits that blend well with kiwi to create a nice consistency. The best replacement for frozen mango in this recipe is frozen pineapple. It might be slightly less sweet than using mango but will be similar. Other frozen fruits that work are banana or papaya.

Coconut milk alternatives

This recipe uses coconut milk but you can try using any plant based milk you prefer. Some alternatives include soy, almond, hemp or cashew! You can also make your own plant milk from scratch in a blender. The key is to avoid using just water to blend. We want to use something more creamy, it makes the smoothie bowl thicker in texture.

Topping Ideas

Often the best smoothie bowl topping is more fruit! Slice up fresh kiwi and strawberries, or add some mango chunks. Other topping ideas are coconut flakes, berries, chia seeds, star fruit, dragon fruit and granola.

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 thick kiwi 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 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 it okay to eat this kiwi smoothie bowl every day?

Unless you have a kiwi allergy, kiwis are healthy to eat on a daily basis. Using frozen kiwi to create smoothie bowls or smoothies is an efficient way to get all the benefits of these small fruits. So enjoy this kiwi smoothie bowl as often as you like!

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 thick, but you will have a drinkable smoothie to enjoy later.

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. 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 thick kiwi smoothie bowl to have a higher protein content, you can simply add more protein powder to the recipe. An extra scoop for a total of 2 large scoops works well in this recipe. Adding more protein powder than this may compromise the texture of the smoothie bowl.

Related

Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie Bowl

Kiwi Mango Clear Skin Smoothie

Strawberry Kiwi Protein Smoothie

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