Berry Banana Smoothie Bowl

It's officially summer and I am feeling all of the summer vibes. During the colder months, it is much harder for me to enjoy smoothies and/or smoothie bowls. I crave warmth. But when that sunshine hits, I want allll of the refreshing smoothies. Which sometimes can get boring, which is where smoothie bowls come into play. I love to start my day packed with phytonutrients, extra superfood boosts (because summer is all about that glow!), and something else to get me out of my "egg rut" (if you follow me on instagram - you know that I eat way too many eggs!). This beauty is in the Shed cookbook debuting next month! I thought it would be fun to give you a sneak peek! Happy summer and enjoy the gorgeous sunshine!! - AHS

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berry banana smoothie bowl

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 frozen banana

• 1⁄2 cup of frozen berries (I used a mixed berry blend)

• 1⁄3 cup vanilla plant-based protein powder

• 1 tbsp flax seeds

• Unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Topping Options

• chia seeds (shown)

• bee pollen

• gogi berries

• acai berries

• fresh berries (shown)

• coconut shreds (shown)

• sliced almonds

• pepitas (shown)

• low sugar granola

• cacao nibs (shown)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients, using less liquid than your normal smoothie. Blend. Pulsing until it creates a thick ice cream like consistency. If necessary, add more liquid, but try to keep a thicker consistency by using less.  If you are unsure of where to start with the amount of liquid, just add a little bit and pulse, slowly adding more until it actually blends. Note: Pick one topping initially to keep it economical — eventually working any and all of these into your smoothies/ bowls to add great health benefits. 

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Update 7/2/18: the original post did not include that the banana and berries be frozen! Whoops! You would have one warm smoothie bowl without them being frozen! :)

Superfood Profile: Bee Pollen

In honor of allergy season being in full swing,  I thought it would be helpful to provide some insight on Bee Pollen and why it is so extraordinary. 

I had my first experience with bee pollen a few years ago. I was working at a local juice and smoothie shop- and we offered bee pollen as an added superfood boost. I would put it in my smoothie every day, and I swear I never had a spring so unaffected by allergies. Knowing this information and how it affected my own system inspired me to learn more, especially as future years sans bee pollen were quite miserable. 

 

what is Bee pollen? 

Bee pollen comes into existence when honey bees harvest pollen from a variety of plant sources. The bees add their own goodness (nectar) into it, and store it in honeycomb. Through this process it becomes a bonafide complete superfood. It has amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and more! It's pretty incredible. It is not considered vegan because bees create it- however, no bees are harmed in the harvesting of the pollen. 

 

You've probably heard of pollen as an allergen itself, so why would eating it be good for you?

Essentially the thought is that it helps your body build its immune response to pollens. If your immune system is prepared, you will experience less symptoms once allergies are in full swing. This is also why buying local bee pollen is the best if you would like it to help with your seasonal allergies. When you use local bee pollen, the bees are harvesting pollen from plants that likely will be your triggers later. 

 

If I want to prevent allergies, when should i start taking it?

It's best to start a few months in advance to build up an immune response. So probably too late to save you this spring. You can start next month to prepare for autumn allergens, though! That being said, I've noticed a difference with one dose (probably placebo effect but hey, I'll take it!) - so I will still be taking it this spring, even though it's late in the game! 

I don't have seasonal allergies, why would I want to add this to my routine?

Key word: SUPERFOOD. This stuff is amazing. I mentioned its a complete food, so it essentially is a natural vitamin supplement. Here are some of the many reported benefits: 

• Reduces inflammation
• Protects against liver toxicity
• Improved energy levels 
• Improved gut health 
• Acts as an anti-oxidant
• Natural stress reliever
• And many more! (Want to learn more? Check out "Further Reading" at the bottom of the page)

What to look for when buying 

As mentioned before- first and foremost- try to get it locally. I live in Chicago- but farms in other areas of the state or in southern Wisconsin, Michigan, and northern Indiana all would probably be fine because we all share similar Midwest weeds and plants. Check with your local farmers market or try Whole Foods, they often will try to use local vendors. 

Next, it's great to find kernels with a variety of color. They range from yellow to black - depending on what plants the bees took the pollen from. It you have a diversified mix it will help cover you to a variety of plant allergens. 

It comes in a variety of forms (capsules, liquids, etc.) but get the whole kernels. Less processing is always best! 

Side note: there are a lot of similar benefits to eating raw organic honey, however, it is really hard to find unpasteurized honey. The pasteurization process kills off a lot of the beneficial nutrients. Bee pollen on the other hand, not being a liquid, does not get pasteurized, so it retains it's nutritional integrity better. 

How to best eat it? 

My preferred method of ingesting :) 

I prefer using kernels on top of my smoothie bowls or mixed in to a smoothie (post blend). Always eat it with other food. If added to fruit it is supposed to activate quickly in the gut!

If you have any serious allergies (I'm talking anaphylaxis) ESPECIALLY to pollen, talk to your doctor about ingesting bee pollen. If you are worried you may have an allergic reaction, you can test by putting one granule on your tongue until it dissolves. If there is no reaction, add another. Repeat until you feel confident you will not have a reaction. 

 

Further Reading

Want to learn more? Check out these resources!

How Bee Pollen Could Cure Your Allergies - Mind Body Green

Top 8 Bee Pollen Benefits - Dr. Axe

Top 10 benefits of bee pollen - Be Healthy

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What do you think? Will you give bee pollen a try? I am definitely going to add it back into my routine! Happy June! - AHS