Superfood Smoothie Bowls

With summertime just around the corner, you might find yourself dreaming of cold, sweet treats. I definitely do. Fortunately, there are ways to fulfill this desire while still being good to your body. My personal weakness this time of year: smoothie bowls. In fact, I’ve been packing mine with extra nutrients by adding superfoods to the ingredient list. Here are some of my favorite vegan superfood smoothie bowl recipes:

(I tend to toss stuff in while blending until I get the taste and consistency I want, so the measurements are super flexible).

Featured Superfood: Blueberries

Smoothie blend:

  • 1 cup Almond Milk
  • 1 cup Cashew Milk Yogurt
  • 1 Frozen Banana
  • 1/4 cup Frozen Blueberries
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Blueberries

Pictured topped with frozen raspberries, frozen sliced strawberries, blueberries, and dried lavender.

Featured Superfood: Spirulina

Smoothie blend:

  • 1 cup Almond Milk
  • 1 cup Cashew Milk Yogurt
  • 1 Frozen Banana
  • 1 tsp Spirulina Powder
  • 1/4 cup Frozen Blueberries

Pictured topped with sliced mango, fresh blueberries, chopped walnuts, and chia seeds.

Featured Superfood: Beets

Smoothie blend:

  • 1 cup Almond Milk
  • 1 cup Cashew Milk Yogurt
  • 1 Frozen Banana
  • 1/4 cup Chilled Diced Beets
  • 1/4 cup Frozen Strawberries

Pictured topped with coconut flakes, chia seeds, and sliced banana.

Featured Superfoods: Spinach and Avocado

Smoothie blend:

  • 1 cup Almond Milk
  • 1 cup Cashew Milk Yogurt
  • 1 Frozen Banana
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Spinach Leaves
  • 1/2  Sliced Avocado
  • 1/4 cup Sliced Kiwi

Pictured topped with sliced kiwi, fresh blueberries, chopped pistachios, ginger, and coconut flakes.

What are your favorite superfood-smoothie bowl combinations?

Elements

As I sit here writing, I notice the scent of tea tree lingering from my hair, slightly damp from my shower. I breathe in the warmth from the green tea in my favorite mug. I am safe. I am clean. I am comfortable. Unexposed to the elements on this unusually chilly night. I feel cozy tonight, but my mind wanders to a recent camping adventure in which I was almost completely exposed to the elements, at the mercy of Mother Earth. With the promising forecast of clear skies and decent temperatures, five of us headed out with our camping gear, unfazed by the unpredicted grey clouds looming in the distance. A few hours into our trip, tents built and campfire blazing, those clouds opened up and the rain began to pour. We ran into our tent and huddled up together, waiting for it to pass. These unexpected but temporary downpours continued on and off throughout our trip, producing the most beautiful sunset and sunrise. We were exposed to the elements with few options for shelter, nervously hoping that the tent enveloping us would hold up through the periodic storms. It is eye opening to get a glimpse of what so many people are forced to experience on a daily basis, exposed to wind, rain, cold temperatures. However, we were doing this for fun. We chose to wait out the rain and thunder for the joy of camping. There seems to be a common nomadic daydream among many in our generation. The dream of living on the road or off the grid, a form of chosen homelessness. There is something that feels so natural and primal about living in such a way. It feels magical to wake up in a forest, making your breakfast over the fire you’ve built, cooling off in a nearby stream, completely surrounded by nature. I feel that while living our chosen lifestyles, whatever they may be, it is important to remember that we are lucky enough to get to choose that lifestyle. As someone dedicated to a helping profession, I wonder how many ways we can find to reroute our daily activities in order to give back, to waste less, to show compassion? Volunteering, recycling, composting, donating, leaving no trace, etc… I would love to hear your thoughts on this! What aspects of your lifestyle are dedicated to bettering the planet, or what would you like to start doing and learning more about?

Growing an Herb Garden

After a few unexpected weeks of rain, wind, and even a little snow, the sun finally emerged and began to warm the earth around me. I graciously planted my bare feet in the dirt and, after much anticipation, started transplanting my herbs to the garden. Since I have been limited to small garden boxes or indoor pots in the past, I wanted to take advantage of all of the space in my new yard. I designated specific areas for different herbs based on the plants’ needs. Below is a guide on where to place plant babies and how to care for them.

Rosemary and lavender love the sun. They absolutely love it. Full sun is best for these plants. And they are definitely not needy when it comes to watering. Water is usually only necessary for these babes when the soil gets pretty dry.

I have a few basil plants as well as some varieties of mint. Basil plants can grow pretty large, so leave some room for them to spread out. Basil and mint prefer a lot of sunshine, but can also tolerate some shade. They’re a little more fussy and need to be watered regularly.

Dill enjoys full sun, but also doesn’t like to get too much heat. I’m still trying to find a balance for my dill plants. Dill also needs to be watered pretty regularly.

Sage, thyme, and cilantro prefer full sun and well-drained earth. Sage and cilantro may tolerate some shade. Make sure to provide plenty of room for plants, especially cilantro, to grow and grow.

Chamomile and lemon verbena seem to enjoy more shade than sunshine. They also don’t need a ton of water.

It always helps to do research before starting an herb garden. Some methods of growing and care may differ depending on types of herbs, as well as your zone.

As my herbs grow, I’ll be making all sorts of concoctions, potions, and recipes with them and sharing on the blog! See you soon, and happy planting!