Smoothie Bowl - On the Bandwagon & Loving it!

So anyone on Instagram will have noticed an increased presence in smoothie bowls in the Instafeed, people are going gaga for them. And sure why not, they are stunning to look at, and could quite possibly be the healthiest meal you will eat.

I adore them and now I'm hooked!! So versatile and pretty, there really is no right or wrong recipe, it's a little bit of what you fancy.

The premise though is, using a basic smoothie recipe as the base for the bowl. I would recommend making the smoothie slightly thicker than you would if you were going to drink from a glass.

Finally the toppings, you can mix anything from seeds, fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, chia seeds, quinoa. Whatever you fancy. These couldn't be healthier if you tried.

Here's the recipe for one of the smoothie bowls I make most often

Ingredients

Smoothie

• 1/2 a banana
• 1 tbsp of hemp protein powder
• 2 tbsp of almond milk
• 4 tbsp of frozen mixed berries
• 1 tsp chia seeds

Toppings

• 1 tsp of chia seeds
• 1 tbsp of chopped pineapple
• 1 tbsp of melon
• 1 tbsp of mixed desicated coconut/sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp of walnuts, chopped

Method

1. Blitz your smoothie ingredients and pour into a bowl.
2. Top the smoothie with the selected toppings

Rhubarb, Apple & Ginger Jam Muffin Surprise

I call these buns, Muffin Surprise, because you can't tell what type of muffin you are eating until you sink your teeth into one. These are a very simple muffin mixture recipe, with my secret ingredient.....my divine homemade Rhubarb, Apple & Ginger Jam.

I cannot get enough of this jam, I'm literally obsessed. Not content with having this dreamy jam on scones and toast, I love to slather my pancakes with it, my french toast,heat it and top is over vanilla icecream (my fave), and now sneaking a spoonful into my muffin mixture.

Here's how to make the Rhubarb Apple & Ginger Jam

Ingredients

• 500g rhubarb, diced
• 300g of peeled chopped apple
• 1 inch piece of peeled ginger, diced
• 800g of granulated sugar
• 2-3 tbsp of water

Method

1. Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 20 minutes or so until the jam has thickened. It will thicken further when cooled. Pour into sterilized jars (I sterilise the jars in the dishwasher). 

See!!! It's that easy, no excuse not to make your own jam, seriously!!

Rhubarb, Apple & Ginger Jam Muffin Surprise

Ingredients

• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 160g sugar
• 170ml milk
• 1 egg
• 75g melted butter
• Rhubarb Jam

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a muffin tray with paper cases.
2. Sieve the flour and the baking powder into a bowl. Add the sugar
3. Whisk the egg, milk and butter in a jug.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir through until incorporated into a muffin batter
5. Put 1 tbsp of batter in each muffin case, followed by half a tsp of jam in each case, then divide the remaining batter into all the cases.
6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 22 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven once baked and cool on wire rack

(Tip you can use shop bought jam of any description for this recipe to substitute the homemade jam)