This year has seen a great number of food trends. During lockdown many turned to their kitchens as well, of course, to social media. 2020 has brought us the Dalgona Coffee, Pancake Cereal, Cloud Bread & Vegan Bacon. How many of these will stick around? That remains to be seen. One food trend that has definitely lasted is the smoothie bowl. This Tropical Smoothie Bowl is made with frozen pineapple and mango. The blue colour comes from the addition of blue spirulina powder.
What is blue spirulina powder? Blue spirulina is a blue pigment that comes from blue-green aglae. Now that may not sound instantly appetising, however it is full of vitamins and nutrients. If you consume any superfood powders many of them have spirulina in them. It comes in two forms green and blue. Green is the most basic form and has a dark green/blue colour. To get to the blue powder they extract the phycocyain from the algae. This is a natural blue colour that can really brighten up your dishes and give you a boost. If you consumed 1 tbsp of spirulina you would get 11% of your recommended intake of iron, 4 grams of protein and plenty of B vitamins including B12. There are many studies that show varying health benefits. It is important to read all labels and make sure you are confident in what you are consuming and should not exceed recommended daily intake.
Smoothie bowls are slightly different to a traditional smoothie. You should be able to spoon it rather than drink through a straw. The part that really makes a smoothie bowl special for me is the topping. You can load them up with whatever you wish. I like to have some fresh fruit and something for a bit of crunch and texture. On this Tropical Smoothie Bowl I top with raspberries, blueberries with dried mango and toasted flaked almonds.
To get the thick creamy texture of this smoothie bowl you need to use a tin of coconut milk. I use this as I donât like banana. Many smoothies and smoothie bowls call for frozen or fresh banana and I can’t stand it. So I use the thick part of the coconut milk and then thin with the watery part. This really helps get that creamy texture. Interestingly you do not taste the coconut but you absolutely need the full fat coconut milk in this Tropical Smoothie Bowl.
With many of these âinstagram-ableâ dishes the question is really, âis this style over substance?â In this case I really think there is a place for a smoothie bowl. It is a great way to start the day with plenty of variety and options as well as being rather simple to whizz up. The different colours and the toppings allow you to be extra creative. In fact I would actively encourage you to play with your food and get artistic with your toppings. Although beware that if its warm the smoothie bowl will begin to melt.
Take a look at these other breakfast recipes:
Lemon Curd Buns
Sweet Potato & Bacon Waffles
Raspberry Pancakes
Sweet Spotty Loaf
Puffed French Toast
Apple Pie Pancakes
Iâd love to hear what you think of this Tropical Smoothie Bowl. Let me know in the comments below. Donât forget to tag me in your pictures on social media and use #CUBBintheKitchen to be featured in my stories.
Happy Eating!
Tropical Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
For the Smoothie
- 200 grams Frozen Mango
- 200 grams Frozen Pineapple
- 0.5 tsp Blue Spirlina Powder
- 1 can Coconut Milk
To Top
- Toasted Flaked Almonds
- Fresh Raspberries
- Fresh Blueberries
- Dried Mango
Instructions
- In a blender place the Frozen Mango and the Frozen Pineapple with the Blue Spirulina Powder and the thick part of the Coconut Milk along with 8 tbsp of the thin Coconut Water.
- Blend until you have a smooth thick consitency, you may want to add more of the thin Coconut Water.
- Spoon into bowls and smooth the surface then top with the Raspberries, Blueberries, Dried Mango & Toasted Flaked Almonds.
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