Satisfying Apple Pie Smoothie Bowl (vegan and dairy-free)

Looking for an apple pie smoothie? I have just the recipe for you!

Spring has had a rather faulty start so far around here (with more “spring” snow and snowstorms than I can even remember), so I haven’t had my go-to breakfast, smoothies, on the brain much.

But the warm-ish temperatures announced for this weekend can only mean two things. First, garden work (hooray!). And second, the return of the almighty smoothie. It is quintessential healthy fast food ideal for packing in superfoods aplenty and hiding vegetables, from your family!

But what if I told you there’s a new trendsetter in smoothie town? Maybe you’ve seen some scrumptious recipes on popular food blogs? Maybe you’ve seen glimpses of their impossibly perfect faces on Facebook or Instagram? Or maybe you just like your smoothies with “benefits” – in other words, some added texture, toppings or attitude?

Naturally, I’m talking about smoothie bowls.

Why I Started Making (and Loving!) Smoothie Bowls

Up until last August, I had never even had a smoothie bowl.

See, I gravitate toward smoothies most when:

• I’m in a rush,
• I can’t think of anything else for breakfast, and
• I need to cram a lot of extra nutrition and/or supplements into my meal.

I’m not too concerned about calories most of the time. However, I did worry that a smoothie bowl might send the sugar count sky high (with extra fruit on top!)

Then I became a host mom to a 16-year-old Japanese student while she was in Canada to improve her English language skills for a few weeks.

I was driving from Orillia to Barrie every day, still making meals from scratch, and because I love sleep as much as I love coffee (!), weekday mornings often felt rushed.

However, I didn’t want breakfast to ever feel rushed so I started experimenting with various smoothie bowl recipe combinations.

Why Make Smoothie Bowls

Smoothie bowls were lightning-fast to make (as long as the blender was clean). But with some high-protein toppings, they could also be slowly, but not excessively slowly consumed.

I believe smoothie bowls can actually offer a more mindful, even meditative breakfast, compared to smoothies. They are eaten with a spoon and the added toppings require chewing.

They made for a perfect way for my host daughter and I to connect, share conversation, and discuss the day’s schedule or events.

The smoothie bowls were also cool in temperature. So, they were wonderful on late-summer days when the temperature felt sticky even before you rolled out of bed.

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Smoothie bowls, as trendy as they are, may be able to bridge the gap between our desire for quick fast food and a healthy meal that is savoured rather than swallowed.

How do you like them apples?

Why You Should Make this Apple Pie Smoothie Bowl

I’m sharing one of last summer’s most frequent smoothie bowls: my Apple Pie Smoothie Bowl.

It tastes decadent without being overly caloric. You don’t have to sacrifice flavour for health. And there’s a good balance of key macronutrients (fat and protein) needed for blood sugar balance and satiety.

It’s also a great use for all your homemade almond or other non-dairy milk.

Hopefully this smoothie bowl will help you survive the “spring” and the sticky days of summer that will likely be hot on its heels.

Life is a plate… Eat up!

Ashleigh