There’s no turning back: we’ve officially shifted from the sleepy newborn stage into a whole other beast. It was good while it lasted, I have to say. Arlo’s development is steaming ahead, and with that has come his first sleep regression (or “progression”, if we’re seeing the glass half full), and his desire to never miss a cool thing in his new world. Things have gotten really stinkin’ cute, a bit ugly (mainly, the circles under my eyes), and kinda scary. He basically turned into the wide-eyed “deer in headlights” emoji overnight. Actually, I think someone should make a new emoji just for babies going through sleep regressions; how about a wide-eyed baby who is simultaneously laughing and crying? With devil horns too, of course…but I digress.
We’ve been through countless sleep setbacks before, with big sis, but for some reason I thought we might cruise past them this time. We’ve paid our dues! I protest to the Sleep Gods. LMAO, say the Sleep Gods. It’s okay, though—we will survive.
On the bright side, this crazy time has given me the nudge to start something I’ve wanted to do for a while now: shorter, more easygoing blog posts. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time (and even tried it out a while back if you recall, but eventually my inner Chatty Cathy got the best of me…oops). I’m trying it today and popping in with a quick recipe and a few photos. I just added this smoothie bowl to the app a week ago, and it’s my current obsession. I devour a bowl every single morning lately (and chase it with a coffee or matcha to warm up…the best.).
A few things to note. The recipe calls for dates, but I don’t tend to use them because I don’t mind a smoothie that’s just mildly sweet. However, my lovely tester, Nicole, thinks it’s a bit bland without the dates added in, so I’ll leave it up to you whether to include them or not. (Granted, it does taste ah-mazing with the dates.) You can always taste the smoothie before adding them in and then make the call to suit your own taste buds. Also, a word to the wise: Some blenders have a hard time blending hemp hearts and dates smooth enough, so I recommend using a high-speed blender for the best results. Lastly, I always use a stevia-free protein powder as I don’t like the taste of stevia (and find it can overpower some smoothie flavours), but whatever you use, just know that the protein powder will greatly impact the overall flavour. I use Sunwarrior Warrior Blend in Natural in this particular recipe. Some people love it and some don’t; use what you love and you can’t go wrong!
Well, I just clocked in at 500 words for what was supposed to be a quickie blog post. Chatty Cathy strikes again. (Eric just said, “Must be the Maritimer in you.”) Maybe this is going to be harder than I thought.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
In the Buff Smoothie Bowl
Yield
2 to 2 1/2 cups (500 to 625 mL)
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
I just can't get enough of this creamy, monochrome smoothie bowl! Packed with protein and healthy fats, it keeps me going all morning long, and its subtle, earthy flavours and thick texture are the perfect base for loading on all kinds of toppings.
Ingredients
For the smoothie bowl:
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups (250 to 310 mL) almond milk, as needed
- 1/4 cup (40 g) packed avocado
- 1 large frozen banana, broken into chunks*
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) chia seeds
- 1 heaping tablespoon (12 g) hemp hearts
- 1 scoop (25 g or 1/4 cup) unflavoured protein powder (optional)**
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) almond butter
- 1 to 2 pitted Medjool dates, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ice cubes, or as desired
Topping suggestions:
- The Perfect Granola, Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Clusters, or granola of choice
- Fresh fruit (sliced banana, berries, etc.)
- Cinnamon
- Hemp hearts and/or toasted sliced almonds
- Shredded coconut
Directions
- Add 1 cup (250 mL) of almond milk into a high-speed blender, followed by the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth. If necessary, add more milk to get the blender going.
- Pour into a bowl, and add your desired toppings. Serve immediately and enjoy with a spoon!
Tip:
* Be sure to use a large frozen banana or the texture of the smoothie bowl won't be thick enough.
** If you are omitting the protein powder, you can reduce the almond milk to 1 cup (250 mL), and add more from there if needed. I use Sunwarrior Warrior Blend protein powder in "Natural". It's important to use a neutral-flavoured protein powder so it doesn't overwhelm the delicate flavours of the smoothie bowl.
If you want a bit of a kick flavour-wise, try adding some fresh ginger (to taste) to heighten the flavours.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Also, just a heads up that I’ll be sharing this new recipe for nut-free freezer fudge in the next issue of In the Glow! Be sure you are signed up (and don’t forget to confirm your subscription). It’ll be going out before Valentine’s Day.
I wish this was my breakfast/lunch today!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
This looks so delicious! I love thick smoothies like this!
Hmm looks so tasty! I think it fills you up like crazy. You’re ready for the day now.
Xo, Carmen.
www.carmenmattijssen.nl
Good
I love your chatty posts! And I can’t wait for that fudge recipe…
love the flavours in this beautiful monochrome bowl! I can tell this would stick to your ribs and keep you full foreva! Thanks for sharing your awesome tales of motherhood :) Hope you get some Z’s soon.
I saw this recipe this morning and made it for lunch! I love how thick and creamy it is. The flavors are nice and subtle. Loved it!
Love the chatty post! Stop in and say hi even without a recipe :)
Also – I would love to hear about balancing two babies. Its in my near future.
We have had this twice now- kids love it too! I only had flavored protein powder- both vanilla and chocolate worked for us!
I love the idea of smoothie bowls, but haven’t gotten around to trying one. This one looks amazing! Could I skip the bowl and turn it into a morning smoothie?
P.S. I love your recipes and books! Keep up the awesome work. Good luck with the little one.
Hi Patricia, You could absolutely turn this into a smoothie! If you want it less thick, try adding a bit more almond milk/milk of choice. And thank you so much for your kind words!
Looks delicious! I’ll have to make it in the next couple of days when our temps are set to be unseasonably high. I’ll try adding ginger like you mentioned. Props to you for finding a way to name and market that smoothie color! This will be a nice change from the fruit or green ones we’ve been loving lately.
I’d love to read more casual posts, but I love all your posts!
I hope you enjoy it, Kate! (And I’m glad you’re loving the name!)
I struggle with the short posts, too! Especially since I don’t post frequently. One tip I try to keep in mind is to write about one topic per post only. Pretty sure I have been failing at that lately though!
Hope you all get better sleep soon :)
Thanks for both the advice and the sleep wishes, Jill!
I loooove all of your posts…short…long…chatty…. although I don’t think you are chatty they are Always real and perfect! I will try this smoothie this week. We have your hidden greens chocolate smoothie every single morning for breakfast! It is the best! I make up smoothie bags every Sunday and pop them in the freezer to then blend up into vitamix every morning! We are up super early so its great to have everything pre-measured and then we just have to add almond milk and blend! If not an easy smoothie I will make your carrot cake oatmeal, or overnight oats with lots of good stuff mic=zed in! I will cook up a batch for us to eat and have a variety of toppings and fresh fruit! I also have a freezer stocked with your soups and stews for lunches. I would love if you could post a quick “what we ate this week list” at the end of your post, so we could have a snapshot meal plan. I own all of your cookbooks and looooooove the app! Thank you sooo much for your expertise! I sure hope Arlo gets settled into a new routine soon, so you can get some well deserved sleep! We wish you the very Best!
Aw, you’re too sweet Kristen! Thanks so much for the warm words, and I’m so happy to hear you’re loving that hidden greens smoothie so much. I agree, smoothie bags are just so convenient! And I’ll definitely keep that idea about including a “what we ate” snapshot in mind–it’s a good one! :)
I hope this smoothie bowl powers you through the rough sleeping time! It looks absolutely delicious…but I am also addicted to smoothies!
Just made my first smoothie bowl! This recipe is perfect! Thank you ?
This looks like my breakfast tomorrow. :)
Delicious! I just made this (without dates, because I’m trying to cut down on sugar intake, and without protein powder, because I don’t have any on hand), and it is SO good! Thank you for another great recipe!!
I hope Arlo gets in a good groove soon! I remember sleep regression at 4 months with my first girl–she got in a good routine pretty quickly afterwards though. I’ve been reading your posts with greater interest this year because you had Arlo a few months before I had my second baby girl (had her Jan 8th). She has acid reflux so is a terrible sleeper–she can’t even sleep flat yet and she’s now a month old, so I feel you on being sleep deprived! It’s crazy how every baby is so different! By the way, I make a very similar smoothie to this every morning and I gulp it down–so good! I forgot how starving you are the first few months after having a newborn!
This would be perfect for breakfast or lunch! Looks delicious!
http://alexamjohnson.com
This was so delicious! If your like me and dont have unflavored protein powder I used Vega Sport Performance in Vanilla and just omitted the vanilla extract and 1 date. Tastes like heaven, thank you!