When I first started seeing all these “bowls”, I have to admit that I was like, “wha???, That’s basically a spoonable smoothie, right?”. I couldn’t understand why you needed to have a bowl of something that you could drink. But, alas, after I made my first “bowl”, I was hooked!
These bowls are for when you are tired of having a smoothie or protein shake every day, and you just want something that you can top with yummy stuff and be able to eat with a spoon. There is a difference between a smoothie and a smoothie bowl, you know!
Enter the “bowl”.
A thick and creamy bowl of yum that you can top with all sorts of random healthy things, and then use a spoon to eat it with!
On this bowl, I topped it with shredded unsweetened coconut, chia seeds and flax seeds. I also used a strawberry, but that was more for prettiness. 🙂
The great thing about bowls is, the possibilities are endless! You pretty much cannot “mess up” a bowl. You can add so much to these and blend them to the creamy consistency, and as long as you like it, then you’re good to go!
Bam!
Look at all that thick and creamy splendor!
I put the “S” in Superfood
The reason why I called it my “superfood bowl”, is because this sucker is jam-packed with…you guessed it…superfood stuff!
Baobab powder (thank you THM 😉
Kale
Spinach
Collagen
Protein powder
Berries
Those ingredients are sure to put some “hair on your chest”. I don’t mean that quite literally (I guess I am just in a sarcastic mood). I just mean that those ingredients are sooo good for you, and you are bound to feel better after eating this!
So, without further adieu, here is this amazingly simple and yummy recipe! Go play, and see what kind of “bowl” you can create!
Happy Saturday! You made it to the weekend! Maybe you are lounging in your p.j.’s (like me), drinking your morning cup of coffee and wondering what you want to cook for breakfast? Look no farther!
Saturday Morning Breakfast
In lieu of this being a Saturday morning, I wanted to share a “Saturday morning worthy” breakfast. I created these beauties a couple of weekends ago, and they were a smash hit!
I mean, hey, Who doesn’t want a huge stack of pancakes on a Saturday morning?
My boys are always asking, “mommy, can you please make pancakes?” The thing is, with them growing by the minute, they seem to be growing an extra stomach at the same time! I swear, these kids are gonna put me out of business!
I have said before that we don’t use a lot of sugar around the house, and that is true, but on some Saturdays with yummy pancakes, sometimes you just have to have some good old fashion syrup. I like to buy the ones that do not have high fructose in them, but hey…let’s face it…Sugar is sugar.
In these instances though, I like to see the kids enjoying some syrup on their pancakes. If my husband and I choose to splurge every once in a while, we will buy the sugar-free syrup and enjoy it on our pancakes.
Luckily, I had some Granny Smith apples lying around, and I was able to create a cinnamon apple topping for these yummy things! My hubby and I would rather have a more naturally sweet topping than the syrup.
(Look for official recipe coming soon! Meanwhile, I will add them to my
recipe card below.)
This is how my husband likes to eat his Cinnamon Apples over his pancakes…
He is very strategic on how he does it too. He lined up his 3 pancakes, and then doused them with the apples. It’s really cute actually. I love to watch him enjoy his yummy meals .
Baby girl showing her food to mommy…
So Easy!
The great thing about these pancakes is that you can make them in right your Vitamix: Total Nutrition Center Blender or any blender (I’m a little partial to my Vitamix though) and, Viola! Just pour on to your griddle or pan! Easy peasy! I am all for easy on a Saturday morning.
I put in the oats and ground them into oat flour first, and then added all of my other ingredients. I think that is why I love my Ascent Series Blenders for so many types of recipes. It allows you to do so much all at once!
Viola!
Protein Power
These guys are so loaded with protein, that they are sure to not only fill-up the hungriest of bellies, but
they pack a protein punch! My kids have energy for hours after they eat these!
They not only have protein powder in them, but they also have collagen! Win, win!
I really like to add protein in to recipes, in varying forms and degrees. I love to not only make yummy and healthy meals, but I like them to serve a purpose too. These are definitely the kind of breakfast you serve when you have a busy day ahead of you, or need an extra “boost” of energy!
This breakfast is the easiest pesiest breakfast ever! Also, a great way to switch it up a little bit and have an E breakfast that is NOT oatmeal!
I have to say, French Toast is hands down my favorite breakfast.
I make a homemade berry sauce (Z’s Very Berry Sauce on my Recipe page) that compliments this dish amazingly! The berry sauce is also sugar-free and falls under the THM-FP status.
When you use my berry sauce, there is no need for syrups (see yesterdays post on The Skinny on Sugar in the Healthy mom page).
Yummy Sourdough Bread
I use the San Luis Sourdough bread because it has the best texture and ingredients in a store-bought bread. Of course, if you make your own homemade bread from a sourdough starter, then that is going to be AH-mazing! But, for “drive through sues”, this bread does great. You want to make sure that your bread is made from a starter, doesn’t have fat and doesn’t have sugar.
Some of the Ingredients I use
I also love to buy the unsweetened vanilla almond milk from Costco. It is not full of the fillers and sugar that other almond milks have. I also love the fact that there is a touch of the vanilla flavor in the French toast when you use this.
Of course, to stay in the THM-E territory, you have to stay with egg whites, but when I make this for my kids, I will sometimes whisk in a couple eggs with the yolks, for a yummy crossover. Crossovers are great for growing kids! Also, I think that whole eggs make it taste even better. But, alas, I need to stay in E (THM-Energyzing) territory. 🙂
My family absolutely devoured this breakfast!
When it is silent during any given meal, then I know I did something right! 😉
This shake is so freaking nutritious! I know it is called mint & chip, like its some sugary jar of amazingness, but it’s a non-sugary jar of amazingness!
It is jam-packed with nutrition!
I looked at what kind of “healthy” ways I could turn a shake green, and to my dismay, I didn’t like any of the ways I found. I mean, who wants to add food coloring to a protein shake? Not me!
News flash! I used leafy greens to turn the shake green! Go figure! What a healthy and nutritious way to turn things green!
Green Goodness
The goodness of raw eggs
There are many health benefits to eating eggs raw…
-Heat alters the nutrients in eggs and destroys the enzymes that help us assimilate them. Cooked eggs are still a decent source of nutrition, but eating raw egg yolks takes the nutrient-density to a whole new level. They are highly digestible and full of readily-available nutrients.
– Raw egg yolks are super gentle on the digestive system. In fact, raw egg yolks are one of the first foods available on the GAPS diet intro, which is for people who have severe health problems originating in the gut.
– In addition, eating raw egg yolks is much less likely to trigger an allergic reaction, so even sensitive individuals may be able to tolerate them.
I have to admit that I was really skeptical about adding a raw egg to my protein shake. I almost didn’t, but I’m sure glad that I did! I think the egg added a super smooth texture, not to mention, the added protein.
There are some people who don’t agree with eating raw eggs because of salmonella. I get that. I would highly suggest using quality eggs (I.e. cage free, organic and free-range. I used the cage-free with omega 3s).
Rocky Balboa-The Rockstar…
I have to say, I felt like a rockstar adding raw egg to my shake today! I kind of felt like Rocky Balboa! Now I just need an uber amount of muscles and I’ll be all set!
I love that scene where he wakes up and just starts “going to town” with those raw eggs! It’s classic!
Let me just tell you…I LOVE ROCKY BALBOA! Well, the series anyway. I grew up on this series, and absolutely love it! If you haven’t watched all 6 of them….do it! You won’t be disappointed.
Back to the shake…
Ok, ok…I got a little distracted. I tend to do that when I’m running off of about 5 cups of coffee and a crazy agenda kind of day.
Back to the shake!
The nutrition in this sucker is just too good! I added spinach and kale (you can buy them in the juicing aisle at your local store), but you can sub that with just spinach or just kale. I liked both of them because they have so many healthy benefits. I also think that it is best to have a quality MCT oil. I use Trim healthy mama brand of MCT oil, and am very happy with it.
There are just so many dang good things about MCT oil, aren’t there??? I feel such a difference in my cognitive function. That’s “smart talk” for being really alert. I really do feel more alert and clear when I have MCT oil in my diet.
This week of fuel cycle, the first three days are Deep S days (High fat days. Healthy saturated fats), and you really consume a lot of fat. Even with good butter and bacon grease, you still require something for your brain, because your body is basically detoxing off glucose. It effects your brain function, and makes you feel “foggy”. Enter, MCT oil. I love it. It is easily added to pretty much anything, and doesn’t taste like coconut oil at all (not a fan of the taste of coconut oil). What’s not to love about MCT oil?
Yummy!
The recipe…
I hope you enjoy this Deep S (if you’re a THMer) drink! It is also Keto as well, so I’m sure it will be. ahit for your dessert menu this week!
Let me know how yours turned out! Heres a contact form! Let me know what you think! Thanks!
This week, as you know from my previous post, I am doing a THM fuel-cycle. It is a great way to boost your metabolism and burn off that unwanted layer of “holiday fat”. It also is very cleansing to your system.
I have done the fuel-cycle twice before, and have both lost weight, and felt better afterwards. If you have any interest, just check out the Trim Healthy Mama book, and look for the One Week Fuel-Cycle (Chapter 28. page 429).
The thing is, I have had a hard time finding breakfasts that fit the Deep S guidelines for the first three days of the cycle, that don’t include eggs and bacon.
This recipe is also Keto!
So today is your lucky day, because I made one up!
“What to do with these avocados….”
I stood in my kitchen this morning, and thought, “What am I going to make for breakfast?” Eggs just didn’t appeal to me this morning, so I decided to make up something that would fall in the Deep S category.
As I was thinking about what I could possibly make, I happened to look over at my fruit bowl and saw a bunch of avocados just sitting there, all innocent like. I forgot that I had bought a bunch at Costco. That is where my inspiration came from! These bad boys had no idea what they had coming to them. 😉
And that, brings us to the “secret ingredient”. Avocado! Who would have thunk? And there is yet another secret ingredient that I added….kale and spinach! I know, I know…you’re probably thinking, “Nasty! Those ingredients sound down right nasty!!!”. Trust me, it didn’t sound that appealing to me at first either. But wait for it…
Now, I had read a bunch of recipes that claimed that if you add cocoa to avocado, spinach or kale, the cocoa seems to balance out the flavors and causes it to not taste like those ingredients at all!
Guess what??? They were right! I couldn’t taste anything but chocolate!
Hold the phones!!! “Z, you’re telling me that I can have all my veggies and healthy fats in a yummy chocolate shake?!?!?!”
Ladies…Im telling you, yes!!!
The legend, the myth….the recipe!!
So, there you have it! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! I really enjoyed my yummy chocolate shake this morning! It came out so smooth and yummy, thanks to my amazing VITAMIX blender!! Vitamix is having a free shipping event! You should check them out- just click on the link below!!!
(see my affiliate marketing disclosure below)
After I made my shake, I added Reddi Whip cream to it, and it just made that recipe awesome! You don’t have to add it, but it does give you that “malt shoppe” chocolate shake feel! Why not?!?
This recipe was one of those, “plain oatmeal sounds boring right now”, recipes. I make oatmeal a lot for my kids, because it’s cheap and because it’s nutritious. My boys, especially, love when I make regular oatmeal and add sprinkles. It makes them feel like they are eating those sugary cereals that I don’t allow very often. The jokes on them though, because oatmeal (even with a little bit of sprinkles) is sooooo good for them!
This oatmeal adaption is loaded with good stuff, but the best part is the collagen! Let’s talk about collagen!
Collagen: My secret ingredient
I didn’t discover collagen until I started following the THM (trim healthy mama) lifestyle. I began to research the benefits of this stuff, and realized that it was just too good to not eat. So, after I told my husband about the benefits, he started adding it to his coffee everyday. I didn’t realize until later, that his hair started looking fuller, and his skin was looking really good (don’t get me wrong….he looks GOOD;). As I saw his improvements, I started taking it too. I added it into my baking recipes, and into my coffee occasionally. Mostly, I add it to my daily protein shakes. I can’t taste it, so why wouldn’t I add that amazing stuff???
I pretty much put it in everything! It’s my secret ingredient. The nutritional benefits of collagen are just too much to ignore…
This oatmeal is great for people like me, who love sweet breakfasts.
Yes, I am am one of those that would rather have sweets for breakfast, rather than “greasy” breakfasts. (I.e. eggs and bacon.) There’s nothing wrong with that if it’s THIS healthy….
If you don’t prefer strawberries with chocolate, then you can easily omit the strawberries and have a chocolate oatmeal.
One of the things that I do highly suggest is soaking your oats before you cook them.
“Soaking the Grains”
Why do I soak the grains?
The key has to do with what happens overnight as they soak. Their starches break down which improves digestibility and their natural phytic acid (which all plants contain) is greatly reduced that makes them more easily absorbed by your body.
What I usually do, is the night before I am going to make my oatmeal, I just add the oats to a pan, and add water. Then, I put a lid on the pan and let them soak for the whole night! It takes all of 2 minutes to do! (Note: some people like to add salt or an acid of some sort to fully break down the phytates. I only use water and occasionally salt) That way, when I wake up…our breakfast only takes a few minutes to heat up! Win, Win!
It’s really not complicated to soak grains, if you plan ahead a little bit. The benefits to soaking grains is worth it, anyways. It has greatly reduced my bloating. Bloating used to happen to me when I would eat plain oatmeal, cooked traditionally. But, not anymore. you’re welcome husband. 😉
My accidental recipe
Long story short, I accidentally made this recipe up. I guess that’s how I usually concoct recipes, but this one was truly an accident. It was so yummy though, that I had to share. Let me know how it turns out for you! I love to hear feed back!
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