Smoothie bowls seem made for enjoying breakfast. Whether at home alone, with family, friends, outdoors, or in a café, they are a versatile and delicious option. Instead of a glass, you get a whole plate of smoothie goodness with a variety of toppings like your favorite nuts, chia seeds, poppy seeds, spirulina, or dates — all easy to prepare.

The foundation is fresh and wholesome ingredients: fruits, berries, and nuts. Natural sugars satisfy daily cravings for sweets, and when combined with fiber, they are far healthier than refined sugars found in traditional recipes. The number of possible ingredients for the base and toppings is practically endless. Nuts, seeds, flax, and sesame are essential; these “good fats” help regulate satiety and provide a slow release of energy (and let’s not forget that some vitamins are fat-soluble, so they’re essential for nutrient absorption).

To cook a perfect smoothie bowl, start by revisiting the basic rules for making smoothies. The base should contain minimal liquid (water, coconut water, green tea, or plant-based milk). Then, choose ingredients for flavor and sweetness, and separately — for texture. Mango, berries, apple, pear, and kiwi bring excellent juiciness and tartness, while bananas or avocados add creamy smoothness. For a lighter version, try a combination like apple, kiwi, pear, celery, or cucumber, along with greens — the most nutritious ingredient you can add. Blend them with the other ingredients to quickly “absorb” all the benefits of the greens.

Mint, tarragon, sage, thyme, rosemary, and spinach are some of the best and most flavorful options for combinations. You can also add a small piece of ginger root or a splash of lemon or lime juice. Avoid mixing too many ingredients — 2–3 are usually enough for a balanced flavor. Focus on practicing your mixing skills and enhancing your smoothie bowl with creative toppings. Toppings can include coconut, raisins, dates, dried apricots, nuts, seeds, goji berries, chia, poppy seeds, flax, spirulina, and fresh or frozen berries. Adding half of your favorite fruit, a few grapes, or a couple of strawberries works beautifully too.

• In order to make smoothies creamier — avocado, nut paste, coconut oil, chia or crushed flaxseed.
• Add squirrel — chlorella or spirulina, hemp powder (hemp seed powder), chia or flax, spirulina.
• Add energy — cocoa beans, pollen, cinnamon, flax.
• Include metabolism — chili, ginger and garlic for vegetable base.
• A little extra sweetness — honey, maple syrup or agave, stevia, dates.

Green smoothie bowl

• 3-4 kale cabbage leaves or a handful of spinach
• 1/2 cup water or vegetable milk
• 2 tbsp. almond or sesame paste
• 1 pear
• 1 cm ginger root
• 1 tbsp. chia or flax seeds
• 1/3 lemon juice
• 1/2 avocado optional
• sliced banana, chopped pecan, pumpkin seeds for topping

Mix the smoothie ingredients in the blender bowl and beat until smooth. Decorate and serve.

Berries+grapefruit+sesame

• 1 grapefruit
• 1-1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries or blackcurrants
• 1 tbsp. flax seeds
• 1-2 walnuts
• almond or soy milk (by consistency)
• fresh fruits by season: apricot, peach, berries, sharon, banana, tangerine
• coconut flakes, toasted sesame seeds, cocoa beans, tahini for topping

Mix all the ingredients for the smoothie and beat well in a blender. Garnish with coconut, berries or pieces of fruit and sesame/tahini, serve.

Cocoa+hazelnut+banana

• 2 tbsp. cocoa
• a handful of toasted hazelnuts
• 2 bananas
• a cup of soy milk
• pinch of salt
• nuts, cocoa beans, banana for topping

Mix the ingredients in a blender with a little water. If desired, add ice or use frozen bananas. Garnish with the same ingredients, or add a few more to your taste.

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

• 1 avocado
• 1 mango
• soy milk
• Topping to taste

Simple and incredibly tasty. Mango and avocado peel, beat with milk to the desired consistency. Pomegranate, coconut, green buckwheat granola, cocoa beans, tahini for topping optional.