I have to be honest with you before I share this smoothie bowl recipe; I don’t really like yogurt, nor do I like smoothies or fruit juice for that matter. I can’t say exactly why it is but it’s just not something I’ve ever liked. Then one weekend we went to Gaia, a vegetarian restaurant in Marrakech and had their brunch that included a smoothie bowl.
Fair enough, I decided I’d be a good millennial and give it a shot. I actually really liked it. So, I guess you have to keep trying things until you discover a way that makes it work for you.
I love the idea of these bowls for a party or just a breakfast bar for kids. You make the base and then let everyone top theirs how they want. Half the fun of a smoothie bowl is decorating the top – we eat with our eyes before we even take a bite! Get creative and make your bowl a beauty!
What’s the difference between a smoothie and smoothie bowl?
The difference between a regular old smoothie and a smoothie bowl base is the consistency. While smoothies are drinkable with a straw and pretty easy to master, smoothie bowls require a little more finesse to get a thick enough consistency to hold toppings and at with a spoon!
How do you make a smoothie bowl thick?
There are a few key things to keep in mind to make a smoothie bowl thick. You need a thickening agent; think greek yogurt, nut butters, or even tofu. It’s also best to use frozen fruit, not only does this help keep it thick but lends to a creamier texture. Adding in greens like kale or spinach can also help bulk it up.
The key to a thick smoothie bowl is to use ice cold frozen base ingredients (bananas are a go-to to make them super creamy) and to blend slowly, not adding any more liquid than absolutely necessary.
Use the blender’s tamper, a wooden spoon, or spatula to gently press ingredients down (while blender is off) to help blend -eventually it will blend together into a thick creamy smoothie the consistency of frozen custard.
![Moroccan Orange Banana Smoothie Bowl](https://marocmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Moroccan-Smoothie-Bowl-480x480.jpg.webp)
Moroccan Orange Banana Smoothie Bowl
Get the base of this down and then go crazy with the toppings! It's also the perfect dish for a breakfast bar where everyone can choose what they want to top their bowl with.
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 4 bananas, peeled, sliced, and frozen
- ½ cup of thick Greek/set yogurt, frozen
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons of juice from the orange
- 2 dates, pitted
- 1 tablespoon (packed) fresh mint leaves, about 6 large leaves
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Toppings
- 8 dried apricots
- 6 dried figs
- 4 pitted dates
- 2 Tablespoons shelled pistachios
- Segments from 1 orange
- Honey (optional)
Instructions
- Chop apricots, figs, and dates into bite size pieces and combine with pistachios in a small mixing bowl.
- Set aside.
- Segment your orange. You can simply peel and separate the pieces, or get fancy and supreme your pieces.
- Set aside.
- Combine all smoothie bowl base ingredients in a blender. Gently pressing down the ingredients to help the smoothie blend without adding any extra liquid.
- Pour into a bowl, decorate with the topping mixture, drizzle with honey, and eat immediately!