Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie bowls have been a food trend for a while now. They have a thicker base compared to the traditional drinkable smoothie and are served in a bowl with a variety of often colorful and decorative toppings. Like many trends, I am jumping on the bandwagon a little late with this Coconut Smoothie Bowl.

For the coconut smoothie base, I blended together Greek yogurt, coconut milk, a frozen banana, vanilla, and ice until smooth. I topped the bowl with honey, toasted coconut flakes, almonds, strawberries, and dark chocolate. Granola or chia seeds would also be delicious.

I served the coconut smoothie bowls in halved coconuts for added presentation. In the past, I had no idea how I was supposed to open a coconut and may or may not have resorted to placing one in a tied bag before banging it against my concrete driveway. I have since learned to use google and found a much more efficient, safe way to open the coconut with the added benefit of not looking crazy to my neighbors. All you need is a hammer or the blunt side of a knife to hit along the seam around the coconut to crack it open. I also used a screwdriver to poke holes in the eyes of the coconut to drain out the water first. This step isn’t required, but make sure you have a large bowl under the coconut to catch the water if you skip it. Here are the instructions I used.

Play around with the ratios of the base ingredients to get a consistency that works for you. You want it thick enough to easily eat with a spoon. If the smoothie is too thin, blend in some more Greek yogurt. If it is too thick, add some more coconut milk. To thicken it up further and add some texture, you could even blend in a handful of rolled oats.

Have all the toppings toasted (I used a skillet- be careful, they burn quickly/oven also works), sliced, and prepped before blending together the smoothie. Chill your serving bowls ahead of time to keep the smoothie nice and frosty.

Coconut Smoothie Bowl
Adapted from With Salt and Wit
Serves 4

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 large banana, frozen, slightly overripe is best
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup ice
Possible Toppings:
Honey or maple syrup for drizzling
Toasted coconut flakes
Toasted, sliced almonds
Sliced strawberries
Chopped dark chocolate
Granola

 

In a large blender, combine the Greek yogurt, coconut milk, banana, vanilla extract, and ice. Blend until smooth. If too watery, add a little more Greek yogurt. If too thick, add a little more coconut milk.

Pour into serving dishes or halved coconuts. Drizzle with desired amount of honey or maple syrup. Sprinkle with any of the following toppings: coconut flakes, almonds, strawberries, dark chocolate, and granola. Serve immediately.