This hearty healthy breakfast is fresh & filling
This nutrient-packed breakfast is quick to whizz up & will keep you full & full of energy throughout the day. It has the freshness of a smoothie bowl & the comfort of a bowl of porridge.
This recipe uses avocado & frozen banana as the base which imparts a creamy almost ice-cream like texture.
I have already mentioned the health benefits of kale (see kale crisps recipe for info) & so now I’ll mention a bit about the avocado, also known as the ‘alligator pear’!
Avocados are nutrient dense containing healthy fats & over 20 different vitamins & minerals, including folate, manganese, potassium (more than that found in bananas!), vitamin A, Bs, C, E, K, magnesium, copper, iron & zinc. Most of the fat in avocado is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid which helps reduce inflammation, reducing the risk of certain cancers & arthritis.
Avocados are also high in fibre, so important in digestive health.
Avocados may lower blood cholesterol levels and hence important in preventing heart disease. In a similar vein(! oops sorry), the high potassium content helps lower blood pressure.
Avocados eaten with vegetables can help the absorption of antioxidants as well as being rich 2 antioxidants themselves, (lutein & zexanthin), which have been associated with reduced risk of cataracts & macular degeneration.
Lastly, avocados are a flexible ingredient, e.g. they can be mashed up in dips, used instead of fat in cookies (see avocado chocolate cookies recipe), as a healthy chocolate mousse & cheesecake topping, in smoothie bowls & now in this kale breakfast bowl. What’s not to like?!
Once the base is blended together, you can vary the topping as desired.
Preparation: 5 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
The base:
- 1 sliced frozen banana
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 cups of kale (you can substitute for spinach if you prefer)
- 1 tbsp protein powder
- 1/2 cup rice, coconut or almond milk
- 1/3 apple
- 1/3 pear
- 1 cup of rolled oats
- Optional: 1 tsp spirulina powder
Topping ideas:
- Bee pollen
- Cacao nibs
- Chia seeds
- Dried fruit (e.g. goldenberries, figs, dates, cranberries) or fresh fruit
- Drizzled almond butter
- Drizzled tahini
- Ground flaxseed
- Goji berries
- Granola
- Runny honey
- Walnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans
- Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds
- Sliced banana
Instructions:
- Place all the base ingredients in a blender or food processor & whizz.
- Serve with toppings of choice. I have chosen walnuts, pumpkin seeds, chopped figs & a drizzle of honey in the one pictured.
- Don’t forget you can find my favourite recipes in my FREE eBook here.
