Kiwi Smoothie Bowl with Hokey Pokey Granola
Ever since I was introduced to the superfood bowls in Hawaii last summer, I’ve been swapping in more smoothie bowls for my regular smoothie. Just as effortless as smoothies, with a lot more texture. Plus, hello gorgeous. Who doesn’t want to chow down when breakfast looks this colorful?
This one is inspired by our New Zealand travels, a nod to the famous fruit in smoothie bowl form. Packed with protein and fiber , this breakfast will keep you full and satisfied for hours.
Besides being more visually appealing, smoothie bowls have an added benefit over smoothies because you chew them. While regular smoothies can be packed with nutrients, we swallow them without much chewing involved. The chewing process, also known as mastication, is extremely important in your health and how mindfully you eat food.
The longer you chew, the longer it takes to finish a meal which can help you eat less overall. Since it takes times (15-20 minutes) for your brain and stomach to recognize fullness, slower eaters consume 10-20% fewer calories as opposed to those who rush through a meal.
Smoothie bowls, especially like the one above, are packed with complex-carbohydrates, thanks to the addition of fruit and oat-based granola. The longer you chew, the more time your food has to be exposed to saliva, containing digestive enzymes that break down food and make digestion easier. Amylase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates is the primary enzyme found in saliva.
If you’re looking for a mindful way to being your day, consider swapping in a smoothie bowl for a smoothie! Chewing is not only beneficial to digestion, but it also helps increase satisfaction in a meal. When you take the time to properly chew, you are able to slow down, savor each bite and fully enjoy all the flavors your food has to offer.
The last (and possibly best!?) part of this New Zealand inspired smoothie bowl is the hokey pokey granola! Kiwi’s go absolutely nuts for this stuff. I’d never heard of it prior to our trip, but once we were there- I couldn’t get enough. Hokey pokey ice cream, chocolate covered hokey pokey, hokey pokey fudge, we ate it all. After researching more when we got home, I realized that hokey pokey is basically sugar. Fantastic. No wonder it was so delicious.
While this isn’t the healthiest granola I’ve made (I use brown sugar instead of usual maple for a taste similar to toffee), it’s arguably the best. I don’t even want to mention how many batches BL and I have gone through over the past two weeks, the clusters are highly addictive and taste great on just about anything you can get your hands on.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Kiwi Smoothie Bowl with Hokey Pokey Granola
Equipment
Ingredients
Kiwi Bowl
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 2 kiwis
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Hokey Pokey Granola
- 2 cups oats, preferably quick cooking
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, crushed
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or additional molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Smoothie toppings, as desired: frozen fruit, sliced fruit
Instructions
- Make the Granola: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix together the oats, crushed sliced almonds, flour, salt and cinnamon together.
- Add the butter in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until melted. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and whisk until well combined. Cook for another minute or two until the mixture starts to boil, taking care not to burn. Whisk in the molasses and maple syrup, then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla.
- Add the melted sugar mixture to the dry ingredient and stir until well combined. You want every bit of the oats to be coated in the sugar mixture.
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir to flip and bake another 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cook; the clumps will form as the granola cools.
- Make the Smoothie Bowl: Puree together the protein powder, kiwis, banana and unsweetened almond milk until creamy and smooth. Pour the smoothie into a bowl, then top with granola and additional toppings.
