It's summer time!
That time of the year in the GCC where folks run for cover to the nearest mall and here in Dubai we are blessed to have a plethora of malls of every shape and size! I know for sure that I still have unchartered territories to venture into at Dubai Mall. Not surprising since I'm always veering towards the food court ;)
Summer is a time when I have no wish to be stuck in the kitchen for long, so to combat the heat and reduce kitchen prep time, I'm planning plenty of simple recipes for the family that include salads, soups juices and smoothies like this one which are light and just perfect for the high temperatures our body will be facing the next couple of months. Kids also suffer with prickly heat, sun stroke for a few cases and minimal hydration for their growing bodies.
So here's a simple breakfast or after school snack idea that requires a basic make-ahead first step. This Nana Smoothie Bowl is going to be quite a hit with the kids especially, just don't tell them that its 'all healthy' stuff in there. Berries are low in calorie content but high in vitamins and are anti-oxidants and banana's are a great way to start the day, full of Vitamin B6, Manganese, Vitamin C, Potassium, oh the list is endless really with this fruit! So let's kick start this uber healthy and easy fix recipe.
Key Ingredients
3 medium sized Bananas
5-6 medium to large sized fresh strawberries, roughly cut
2 tbsp agave nectar (optional)
1/4 cup un-sweetened almond milk (or dairy of your choice)
Sprinkles and Swirls
2 tbsp Strawberry coulis (optional)
1 tsp bee pollen
3-4 Fresh cut strawberries
2 tbsp pistachio
2 tsp desiccated or shredded coconut
First you need to peel and cut each banana into half. Place these in a freezer bag and pop them into the freezer for a minimum of four hours, overnight is preferable, so it's ready for the morning as a breakfast smoothie bowl.
Get the frozen banana's out of the freezer, cut them into wedges and place them in a blender along with the cut strawberries, almond milk and agave nectar. Blend it all together well. If it's too think, you can add more almond milk. Pour into individual bowls, drop in dollops of Strawberry coulis and make swirls on the smoothie with it using a fork or a spoon. Top it off with the rest of the sprinkle ingredients and dig in!
Tip- You can use assorted berries instead of a single variety like blueberries or raspberries and toppings can also be a mix of nuts and seeds like chia, walnuts and almonds which taste quite nice with this combination. I avoid any sweetener when I make it for myself, but for the kids, Ii always add a bit of agave or maple syrup too works quite well.