8 Smoothie Bowl Recipes You’ll Love

April 29, 2015 11:03 AM EDT

By now there’s no doubt you’ve heard about the glory of the smoothie bowl: the taste and texture of a smoothie, but with health-boosting, satisfying toppings. Aside from being delicious, whipping up one of these is an opportunity to get creative. The possibilities are endless—below are just 5 tasty variations you’ll love to get you started.

For each these recipes, simply blend everything together in a blender (a high-speed one works best). If the mixture gets stuck, stop the machine and shake the cup and try again, or add a little bit more liquid. Too thin? Blend in some ice cubes.

Note: These are hearty; have one as a meal or share as a snack.

Pina Colada

1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen mango chunks
2 oz. pineapple, chopped (frozen or fresh)
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. hemp seeds
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. honey
Top with unsweetened coconut.

Pro tip: When I have a fresh banana that’s getting too ripe, I peel it, break up into pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. That way, when I want a smoothie, I just grab one and it’s easy to unwrap and blend. (This is great for banana bread and pancakes, too; just defrost and go. Freezing them individually means I know exactly how much I’m using.)

Also, you’ll notice that I love hemp seeds in smoothie bowls; when combined with banana and water they make the bowl super-creamy without the need for milk. But if you prefer protein powder, toss that in instead (check the label; some, especially the flavored ones, are high in sugar).

Berry Good

1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)
2 Tbsp. hemp seeds
1 Tbsp. MCT oil
1 tsp. honey
Top with berries

Pro tip: MCT oil ($20, amazon) is the same source of fat that goes into another trendy item: Bulletproof coffee. You need fat in your smoothie bowl to boost both flavor and satiety, and help with nutrient absorption. I usually toss in MCT or coconut oil, but nut butter and avocado are also great choices.

Green Monster

1 frozen banana
1 lightly packed cup torn greens (spinach or kale; I used mixed Organic Girl Super Greens)
2 oz. chopped pineapple, fresh or frozen (or ½ cup frozen mango chunks)
1 Tbsp honey.
1 tsp. greens powder, optional (I used Sunfood Sun Is Shining powder; $35, amazon)
2 Tbsp. hemp seeds
1 Tbsp. MCT oil
Top with diced pineapple

Chocolate-Cherry

1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen sweet cherries
2 Tbsp. flax-chia blend ($6.50, amazon)
1 Tbsp. MCT oil
2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder ($11, amazon)
Top with hemp seeds and… hey, how did those dark chocolate chips get on there?

Pro tip: Add a pinch of salt to brighten the flavor. A tiny bit of salt brings out the flavor in things, doesn’t make them salty. It’s essential, even in sweet recipes.

Banana-Nut

1 frozen banana
2 Tbsp. almond butter
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Top with a few slices of fresh banana and granola or nuts

Pro tip: If you make your own nut milk, smoothie bowls are a great place to use up the leftover pulp after you strain it.