Good-bye expensive, store bought smoothie bowls, hello homemade decadent, yet healthy, cherry chocolate granola smoothie bowl.
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I’m normally an oatmeal-for-breakfast kind of girl. But let me tell you, some days in the summer are just too dang hot for oatmeal. In comes my cherry chocolate granola smoothie bowl. Not only is this a refreshing breakfast, or afternoon snack, but it’s also a lighter option for the summer. I enjoy feeling satisfied, but not weighed down, by a heavy breakfast in the summer.
Chocolate granola is life
I’m IN LOVE with this chocolate granola. I know not everyone is a fan of turning their oven on in the summer, but it’s totally worth it. Cherries and chocolate are true soulmates. The chocolate granola has a perfect hint of chocolate, with a touch of sweetness from the honey.
P.S. - Did you know that homemade granola is simple to make?! It's basically mixing up all the ingredients, making sure your oven temperature is low and allowing the cooking & cooling process to dry out the oats for that classic crunchy granola texture. It's that easy, people!!
Lazy girl’s guide to smoothie bowls
Life is too hard some days, don't make cooking stressful. Introducing my lazy girl's guide to smooth bowls!
- Use frozen fruit: In order to make your smoothie bowl thick (so your toppings will stay in place), you’ll want to use frozen fruit. Pre-frozen, bagged fruit is a great option because it’s cheaper, and you can get it year-round!
- Always have frozen bananas in your freezer: I buy a bunch of bananas almost every week, and let them ripen on my counter. Once they hit the point of having multiple brown spots on the skin, and you can smell a sweet scent, it is time to put them into the freezer. These will add just the right amount of sweetness to your smoothie bowl!
- Use any liquid: You can use just about any liquid in your smoothie bowl – almond milk, dairy milk, soy milk, fruit juice, or even water if you are out of everything else. Just be sure not to add too much liquid. This is a rookie mistake and will make your smoothie bowl turn into soup. We add just enough liquid to allow the fruit to blend smoothly.
- Use whatever toppings you have on hand: There is no hard & fast rule of what toppings should go on a smoothie bowl. Try using what you already have on hand in your pantry – nuts, seeds, graham crackers, nut butter, dried fruit, or cereal.
- Make it healthy: Need more vegetables in your life? Add a handful of spinach or kale. You won’t even be able to taste it!
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Cherry Chocolate Granola Smoothie Bowl
Equipment
- sheet tray
Ingredients
Chocolate Granola
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Cherry Smoothie
- 2 cups frozen and pitted dark sweet cherries
- 1 medium frozen bananas
- ¾ cup milk of choice
Instructions
Chocolate Granola
- Heat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Mix oats, cocoa powder, and fine sea salt in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Heat honey and coconut oil in the microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 15 - 30 seconds until completely liquid.
- Mix melted honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract with the dry ingredients.
- Line a sheet tray with parchment paper then spread a thin layer of granola on top with a silicone spatula.
- Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the mixture has toasted. The granola will still feel a little wet coming out of the oven but it will dry as it cools. Allow granola to cool completely for 30 minutes.
Cherry Smoothie
- Place cherries, bananas, and milk in the container of a high-powered blender or food processor. Cover and blend about 45 - 60 seconds, or until all the fruit has fully blended. Stop blender as needed to scrape sides.
- Pour smoothie into a serving glass and top with desired amount of cooled granola.
Laura
Just made this for breakfast yesterday and it was SO good! Light and refreshing! I love that this recipe uses frozen cherries so I can make this all year round.