This Smoothie Bowl recipe is like decadent creamy vanilla ice-cream that’s entirely plant-based and only takes 5-6 simple ingredients to make. Try it as breakfast, lunch, dessert or a super healthy snack.

Ice-cream for breakfast? Um, yes, please! This smoothie bowl truly is like ice-cream in every way. It’s thick, it’s creamy and it’s flavorful. Its exquisite creaminess comes from full fat coconut milk that’s frozen as ice-cubes. I recently learned this wonderful smoothie bowl hack and it’s a true game changer!

While this bowl is not a low-calorie food, personally, I feel really good about eating it because it’s made with simple, natural ingredients, sweetened naturally with bananas AND it’s gluten and dairy-free.

As a long term fitness professional who is immersed in the health and wellness field, it’s fun to keep tabs on the latest trends. Traditionally, many trends over the last decade or more have (unfortunately) revolved around elimination diets in which certain foods or food groups are restricted or eliminated entirely.

Think grains, dairy, carbs, fats, meat and so on.

In their place came foods marketed as low-calorie, low-fat, low-this, low-that were usually interpreted by novice consumers to mean “healthy”, right?

However, we are now finally starting to see a paradigm shift. People are beginning to change their mindset around food and paying closer attention to not only the nutrition label, but also the ingredients.

Consumers are becoming more interested in ADDING more nutritious ingredients to their diet, as opposed to eliminating foods or entire food groups.

What perhaps is even more exciting is that fat is no longer demonized. Items like coconut oil, avocado oil, and nut flours are being used more widely for their nutritional benefits with less emphasis on their caloric value.

This means you can eat this healthy natural and packed with goodies smoothie bowl for a truly decadent and guilt-free breakfast, dessert or snack.

Dress it up or dress it down with toppings of choice, but I totally recommend trying out the toppings I suggest here. Delicious!

Your favorite granola (great for breakfast!)

Shaved dark or milk chocolate or mini chips

Nuts (halved or chopped peanuts, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts or sliced almonds)

Shredded dried coconut, raw or toasted

Fresh or dried fruit (sliced bananas, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, cherries or mangoes)

Seeds (sesame, hemp or chia seeds)

Vanilla Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Vanilla Coconut Smoothie Bowl is like decadent creamy vanilla ice-cream that’s entirely plant-based and only takes 5-6 simple ingredients to make. Using real vanilla beans gives it a wonderful flavor and visual effect. Try it as dessert, snack or even breakfast.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Healthy Clean Eating

Keyword clean eating breakfast, clean eating dessert or snack, healthy smoothie bowl recipe, healthy vanilla smoothie bowl, vanilla coconut smoothie bowl

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 2 medium bananas, sliced, frozen
• 1 can full fat coconut milk frozen in ice-cube tray (see note below)
• 1/3-1/2 cup almond or oat milk
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
• 1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (only if needed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• The day before making the smoothie bowl (or earlier), freeze the bananas and coconut milk. Shake the can well, open and pour into an ice cube tray. Place in the freezer overnight or until completely frozen.

  Pour ⅓ cup almond or oat milk in a bowl of a high speed blender.

  Add bananas first, then coconut milk cubes and vanilla.

  Blend the mixture using the tamper to move the solids around. If needed, turn the blender off, stir and blend until smooth and ice-cream consistency, adding more plant milk, a tablespoon at a time. Be patient as it does take a minute or two for things to get broken down, smooth and creamy.

  Taste test and add honey or maple syrup if you think it needs it.

  Lastly add hemp seeds and blend briefly again to incorporate.

  Serve immediately on its own or with your favorite toppings, suggestions above.

  Notes:

  The best way to freeze coconut milk is to use full fat coconut milk, make sure it’s at room temperature and shake the can well. Open the can and pour into an ice-cube tray. Silicone ice-cube tray works best because it’s super easy to pop the coconut milk cubes out when you are ready to use them.

  Go easy on the liquid! Start by adding ⅓ cup almond milk (or other plant milk) to the blender and blend with the frozen bananas and coconut milk cubes. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time. If you add too much liquid right away, you will end up with a smoothie that’s not as thick as a smoothie bowl.

   

   

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If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites