Low-Sugar Green Smoothie Bowl

I refer to them as a “smoothie person”. You know the type of person I’m on about. That colleague that bundles into work full of energy, boasting about their positively glowing skin, carrying their empty nutribullet cup. Self-righteously listing off more superfood powders in their morning smoothie alone than you think you've had in your entire life, and how they’ve “already had 4 of their 5-a-day and it isn’t even 9am yet!”

Yeah, I’m not one of them.

And that’s not to say I don’t want to be one. I’ve always wished I was a “smoothie person”. I’ve tried countless recipes, but in all honesty, I don’t find them satisfying, satiating or even that great tasting. That is, until I tried my first smoothie bowl. Now whose amazing idea was it to blend a smoothie so thick you have to spoon it out of a bowl like yogurt?  

Packed with 16g of plant-based protein and heart-healthy fats, this low-sugar green smoothie is a perfect post-workout meal. And with only 9g of sugar, it makes a great everyday alternative to the smoothies you can pick up on the high street that can punch a hefty 26g of sugar per serving - that’s equal to a can of red bull! Just don’t be scared off by the addition of turmeric powder, you can’t taste it, but it does serve as a great natural anti-inflammatory.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

250ml Oatly Organic Oat Milk (or milk/milk alternative of your choice)

30g Almond Butter

100g Spinach

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Turmeric

20g Pulsin Protein Raw Sprouted Rice Protein

1/2 Ripe Avocado

1/2 Frozen Banana

Topping Suggestions:

• Raw Buckwheat Groats
• Fresh Fruit (raspberries, blueberries, kiwi and grapefruit are great choices as they are low in fructose)
• Nuts/Nut Butters
• Desiccated Coconut
• Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Chia Seeds
• Cacao Nibs

Place all ingredients into a blender, adding liquids and softer items first and then the harder items like your frozen fruit last. 

Blend for a couple minutes until it is all combined and a thick creamy mixture. You may want to add a dash of water in at this point to loosen it up, depending on personal preference. 

Spoon into a bowl and top with whatever takes your fancy.

Now dig in you “smoothie person” you.

K

Save yourself on the sugar-bomb (you're sweet enough already).

Chocolate Swaps For Safe Highs

Life has a little rule; things we aren't supposed to have (or do) will always give us the greatest pleasure. And maybe that's why takeaway pizzas taste so much better cold the next morning, or perhaps why the thought of kissing someone you really ought not to, seems too linger a little longer than it should. 

But out of everything, one thing seems to bring us all more pleasure than anything else.

Something that seems to steer even the most head-strong of us off the track.

Chocolate.

I know I'm right.

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It's always the first thing to be thrown out when we're making an effort to be healthier, but always the hardest to actually give up.

Denying yourself of something makes you want it 10x more, doesn't it?

Makes you think of it every other second of the day.

And before you know it, you're actually considering digging that bar out of the rubbish bin.

So I say don’t.

Don't give up chocolate (and don't go bin diving, ever.)

If you’re not giving it up, you’re not thinking about the fact you can’t have it. And it all comes down to lifes little rule; once you're allowed something, it really doesn't give us as much pleasure. 

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In a balanced diet, there's always room for a little treat. But before you reach for that KitKat Chunky, think about swapping in these nutritious chocolate products for a safer chocolate high:

Sunwarrior Chocolate Protein Powder

If you fancy a milkshake, try blending one scoop of this raw protein powder with 1 cup of milk and 1/2 a banana - the 16g of protein will help to satiate you until lunchtime, and won't spike your blood sugar levels like grabbing one from McDonalds.

Pana Chocolate Sour Cherry & Vanilla

Swap your Snickers chocolate bars and indulge in one of these raw chocolate bars. They are full of amazing antioxidants and nutrients that get destroyed when processed.

Raw Chocolate Co. Chocolate Covered Mulberries

Justifying sugar-laden milk chocolate because it's coating raisins? Stop. Try out these raw chocolate covered Mulberries which taste just like little, chewy caramels.

Nakd Cocoa Delight

This 4 ingredient, raw fruit and nut bar, is cold-pressed to help retain all it's goodness, and flavoured with only natural flavourings. Counting as 1 of your 5 a day, these little bars make a great post gym snack that won't ruin all your hard hustling.

Sweet Freedom Choc Shot

Ditch the high sugar hot chocolate powders before bed time for this 100% natural liquid chocolate. With only 14 calories per teaspoon, and sweetened with only Sweet Freedom Fruit Syrup, it also makes a great topping for yogurts, ice creams, pancakes and even to replace your nutella on toast.

Naturya Cocoa Nibs

Replace chocolate chips in your trail mixes and cookie doughs for the bitter, nutritious chocolate crunch of cocoa nibs. As they are left to dry out under the sun, they retain the flavanols and antioxidants that make actually make chocolate great for our skin.

Aduna Super-Cacao Blend

Big fan of chocolate brownies? Swap out the cocoa powder for cacao powder, which retains more of it’s health benefits due to cold pressing and isn't sweetened with refined sugars. 

Save the dangerous highs for kissing the bad guys you probably shouldn’t.

K