Ascend Experience, LLC
Two-toned Smoothie Bowl
Summer is on the horizon and eating healthy is never more fun than when the warmer weather comes around. Summertime foods are fun in many ways. Color, sweetness, adaptability, and creativity. One of the most fun ways to incorporate these summertime gifts is in the form of a smoothie.
A smoothie is a beverage by nature, pureeing fruits and/or vegetables in a blender. It has a liquid base of juice or water or milk. The body of the smoothie ingredients are up to you or a recipe you follow, and it finishes with some ice.
You might be surprised to learn that with the invention of the blender in the 1930’s, came the concept for the smoothie, although it didn’t get its name until the 1980’s. Smoothies have taken on many forms and iterations all in the hopes of healthy eating. Keep in mind that adding too much sugar to any form of a smoothie is defeating the healthy benefits a smoothie can provide. Keep the sugar low and the fruits and veggies high.
Today let’s explore the two-toned smoothie bowl created exclusively by Ascend Experience, LLC.
We are used to eating/drinking smoothies from a tall glass. But this takes the smoothie to another level by making it much more of a meal. Mango and banana are the stars with enhancement from some key ingredients like whey protein powder, and vanilla almond milk.
Vanilla almond milk is plant based. The texture is watery, and the taste is nutty straight from almonds. Read your labels before purchasing. Almond milk does not contain cholesterol or lactose and is low in saturated fat. If you are lactose intolerant, vegan or somebody that avoids dairy, almond milk is a healthy alternative to cow’s milk. Almond milk comes sweetened, unsweetened, vanilla or chocolate flavors and comes fortified with micronutrients. The homemade version uses almonds and water in a blender.
Nutrition wise, almond milk is a powerhouse. It can help to keep bones strong, help to strengthen muscles, help to reduce blood pressure, and help to improve kidney health. A natural vitamin found in Almond milk is Vitamin E, which is naturally released from the almonds and absorbed into the body. Positive effects of Vitamin E include strengthening of our cells.
One cup of unsweetened Almond milk contains:
2.88 grams of fat, 0.21 grams of saturated fat, 1.52 grams of carbohydrates, 516 mg of calcium (additive), 176 mg of potassium, 186 mg of sodium, 372 IU of Vitamin A (additive), 110 IU of Vitamin D(additive).
Perfect Pecans
Another ingredient found in this smoothie bowl is pecans. A species of hickory, native to the United States and northern Mexico, pecans grow on trees and produce an edible nut used as a snack or food ingredient. Pecans are 4% water and have a rich buttery flavor.
Approximately 1/3 of a cup of pecans contain:
72% fat, 9% protein, 14% carbohydrates, 34DV% of magnesium, 10-19DV% of iron and B Vitamins.
Mangos are an excellent source of Magnesium and Potassium, both of which are linked to lowering blood pressure. The other star of the show; raspberries, are also a good source of potassium, and contain antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
The last 2 major health ingredients found in this smoothie bowl are hemp seeds and chia seeds.
Hemp seeds get a bad rap for being a big part of the cannabis plant. Rest assured that the hemp used in this, and other cooking recipes do not have properties that produce a mind-altering effect.
These wonderful little seeds, brown in color and rich in protein, are also rich in fiber, and healthy fatty acids such as Omega-3 and Omega-6, contain no trans-fat, are rich in Vitamin E, Magnesium, Phosphorous, and potassium, and folate.
3 Tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 9.46g of protein which is considered a complete source and therefore contain all 9 essential amino acids. In addition, there are 2.60g of carbohydrates, 1.20g fat, 1.62g monounsaturated fatty acids.
Positive health effects of incorporating hemp seeds into your diet include:
*Brain protection due to antioxidant effects
*Boost heart health due to high Omega-3 fatty acids and nitric oxide which is essential for artery and vein dilation and helping to lower blood pressure.
*Reducing inflammation
Chia seeds may be small but they sure are mighty. Chia seeds are incredibly nutritious and have been a staple in a healthy diet since the ancient Aztec and Mayan diets.
Just 2 tablespoons of Chia seeds contain:
138 calories, 4.7g protein, 8.7 g fat, 11.9g carbohydrates, 9.8 g fiber, 12%DV iron, 23%DV magnesium, 12%DV Zinc, 15-15%DV of both Thiamine and Niacin.
Chia seeds may lower the risk of heart disease, support weight loss, and reduce blood sugar levels.
Chia seeds are easy to incorporate into a diet and contain important bone nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
After all this talk about how healthy these smoothie ingredients are for our bodies, here is the recipe so you can make one for yourself and get to winning the summer and your healthy nutrition.
Ingredients:
Yellow Half of smoothie bowl:
½ cup frozen mango
½ Banana
1/4c unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 scoop whey protein powder
3 or 4 ice cubes
Red Half of smoothie bowl:
1/2c frozen raspberries
½ banana
1/4c unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 scoop whey protein powder
Toppings:
1/2c blackberries
1/4c pecans
1-1/2 tsp. hemp seeds
1-1/2 tsp. chia seeds
Preparation:
1. In a blender, blend ingredients of yellow half until smooth, ensuring consistency is thick like ice cream. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with ingredients for red half.
2. Assemble smoothie bowls: Divide red and yellow mixture among serving bowls, pouring each color into one side of the bowl. Top each bowl with toppings, makes 2 smoothie bowls.
Nutrition Information
· Serving Size1/2 of recipe
· Calories297
· Carbohydrate Content28.9 g
· Cholesterol Content0 mg
· Fat Content8.4 g
· Fiber Content14 g
· Protein Content29 g
· Sodium Content141 mg
· Sugar Content16 g
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