Healthy + Easy Breakfast: The Smoothie Bowl

Try this quick and easy way to get breakfast on the table with the smoothie bowl! Make it fun with with our little twist and your kids will eat it up while getting fueled up for the day.

It’s back to school time and with that it seems like most households are trying to find that new rhythm. Running out the door late or without breakfast is never a great way to start the day. We’ve partnered up with Horizon Organic to share how we get a healthy breakfast into our kiddos so everyone is fueled up to face the day. 

I remember school mornings in Michigan and most of the time I would sit on top of the heat register in my room for as long as I could! I’d slowly crawl my way out of bed, inch to the closet to gather my clothes and then let the heat warm me until I had to make my way downstairs. Thankfully, my mom made sure we had breakfast, which was usually cereal, and I remember mornings where she’d try to make it even healthier for us by sprinkling bran over it (over everything). That was so not my favorite thing. 

We actually have a breakfast schedule during the week, which makes it easier on ALL of us. When you’ve got more than one kiddo, you learn not to ask “What do you want for breakfast?” unless you want multiple answers. And after a summer of lax schedules, we’re getting back on schedule and focusing on our healthy breakfast goals. For us, we rotate between oatmeal mornings, egg breakfast, toast options and a few others. Though I have to say, smoothie days are one of our favorites. 

I particularly like smoothie day because it’s an easier way to get all of those healthy things into a breakfast that my kids love. I can use more organic ingredients that I know and trust, add in flax and chia seeds, greens (bran if we really want to! ha) and usually my kids slurp it right up. Plus, I can whip it all up at once in the blender and breakfast is on the table in just a few minutes.

What’s made it even more fun though, because everyone likes FUN, is to create a smoothie bowl! For this, start with your favorite smoothie recipe, and just make it a little thicker with banana, chia or by using frozen fruit instead of fresh fruit. I like to make one big batch of smoothie and to really get my kiddos into it and licking the bowl clean is to lay out the toppings so they can build and customize their own bowl!

A foolproof smoothie bowl formula:

1. Liquid

Add about 1/3 cup of the liquid you want to use like Horizon Organic milk, coconut water, juice or other non-dairy option.

2. Thickening protein

About 2 tablespoons of nut butter, Horizon Organic yogurt, chia seeds (absorb the liquid and help to thicken), flax seeds, oats or even cooked beans. Many times, I’ll also add in a scoop of protein powder.

3. Fruit

Add in about 1 cup of fruit to thicken, like fresh or frozen banana, berries, peaches, mango, apple or avocado.

4. Greens

You don’t want to leave out those nutrient dense greens! Just a handful of spinach (the easiest to hide since the flavor is so mild), kale, avocado, chard or peas blends in well and gives the smoothie bowl a rich boost. Or if you have a greens powder, that works too!

5. Toppings

Here’s where you can really get creative! Fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, granola or muesli, dark chocolate chips, cocoa powder, honey and dried fruit are all great options. Pick a few of your families favorites and set them out to let everyone top their own to their liking.

Each quantity above makes one bowl.

Yes, just a bowl of cereal can be easier to serve up, but the smoothie bowl really is easier than it seems and can be so much more nutritious. Just a few minutes of throwing things into a blender and you’ve got a healthy and easy breakfast ready. On top of that, I know they aren’t going to be hungry a few minutes after we’ve washed the dishes!

Side note: A SUPER simple tip to clean the blender after your smoothie bowl is to immediately fill about halfway with water and a squirt of dish washing liquid once it’s been emptied. Blend up for a few seconds or until the water is frothed and you can see the sides are clean. Rinse and let dry!

What are some things you’ve been dishing up for breakfast? Let me know in the comments below! And I’d LOVE to see your smoothie bowl photos!!! Tag @TabithaBlue and use the hashtag #freshmommyblog and #HorizonOrganic so we can all see your creative dishes on Instagram and Twitter. 

For more yum-filled inspiration, be sure to follow Horizon Organic on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram! Their newsletter also is jam packed full of goodies and freebies! 

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon Organic. The opinions and text are all mine.