Smoothie bowl & homemade granola

I was scrolling through Instagram the other day and I Heart Naptime had posted something about smoothie bowls. I had my first smoothie bowl in the summer of 2020 and I thought it was a funny concept. Basically its a smoothie...in a bowl...with a side of granola and fruit. But boy, was it delicious

So here it is, a snowy January day, and I am craving a smoothie bowl. I threw together the granola recipe I like and made my usual smoothie. Ahh, delicious, no matter the weather.

Apparently, it was also a major hit for the kids at breakfast. YAY! (They don't know it, but they got a serving of veggies in their breakfast this morning).

Here is how I typically make smoothies:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oats

• 1-2 TBSP plain yogurt (I use whole yogurt)

• 1-2 cups mixed berries (we buy the mixed frozen berries from Sams)

• 1-2 handfuls of spinach

• 1 cup of any type of milk or water (more or less depending on how runny you want it).

**Optional: 1-2 scoops of protein powder

Blend it until it's a smooth consistency.

I made this smoothie thicker (used less milk) since it was going into a bowl. When I put it into a cup for the kids or myself, I typically try to make it more runny (which usually means more milk and fruit because I don't want the milk to dilute the smoothie).

You can also add in a banana, kiwi, grapes, etc. The options are endless.

Here is the granola recipe I whipped up. I found it over the summer and it was a hit all around. I got the original recipe from Cookie and Kate. Click on the link to see it (plus she includes all the different variations you can make and the nutrition facts).

Here is my variation:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of rolled oats

• 1 1/2 cups of nuts (in this batch I used what I had: chopped almonds & sunflower seeds)

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Line your baking pan with parchment paper.

Mix all the dry ingredients. Melt the coconut oil and add in maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix with the oat mixture until they are all coated with the oil and syrup.

Put granola into your baking pan. Use a large spoon to spread it into an even layer.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Stir the mixture and pat down into an even layer again (if you want chunky granola push it down)

Bake for 12 more minutes or until slightly golden.

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely (typically about an hour). Break it into pieces with your hands if you want it chunky or stir with a spoon if you don't want it to be extra chunky.

Store in air-tight container for 1-2 weeks.

Have you tried smoothie bowls? What is your favorite thing to put into a smoothie? I'm always looking for new ideas!