10-Minute Avocado Smoothie Bowl (sugar-free, lectin-free & vegan)

For the past two years, avocado smoothies have been one of my go-to breakfast & post-workout foods, as they’re creamy like a milkshake, nutritionally packed (depending on what you add, of course), and loaded with healthy fats, which fulfills every part of my body – not just my stomach.

Having gone through changes in dietary thinking many times over the years (and I do mean many, many times), the ingredients I’ve added to the smoothie have been altered and switched up from month to month. Although, that’s one of my favorite things about smoothies – you can customize them as much as you want with *typically* good results.

To keep matters sugar free, I’ve always used liquid stevia as my go-to sweetener, however, an added touch of erythritol helps round out the sweetness by giving it a flavor more akin to sugar. Because avocado is naturally creamy, I find that vanilla compliments it’s subtle nature beautifully, thus I always add a touch vanilla extract to my avocado smoothies, which creates an ice cream-like essence.

When it comes to milk, the choice is yours, however, in good ‘ole No Eggs or Ham fashion, I tend to use a mixture of full-fat coconut milk and water, as I always have canned coconut milk on hand. The reason I don’t solely use full-fat coconut milk is because the amount of fat and calories that would be needed to bring the smoothie to a liquid consistency would be far too excessive (I’m talking upwards of 300 calories from coconut milk alone). Albeit, if canned coconut milk isn’t your preference, you can replace both water and milk with whatever unsweetened non-dairy milk you like to keep around, be it almond, macadamia, hemp, or whatever.

As far as additives & nutritional supplements go, there’s no ceiling to what you can add. Personally – because I like my smoothie’s to pack a punch of antioxidants – I usually mix in high quality extra virgin olive oil and cacao powder, the combination of which stacks up antioxidant count; If your Charmander was wounded in Pokemon, these are the potients that Nurse Joy would prescribe to him for a speedy recovery. However, because I wanted a green smoothie bowl and not a brown one, I left out the cacao powder and added in matcha, which is also rich in antioxidants.

For added thickness & stability, as well as anti-inflammatory Omega 3s, flax meal is a staple in all of my smoothies. I recommend purchasing whole flax seeds and grinding them yourself in a personal sized blender (which I use for everything), as it’s WAY cheaper this way, you can ensure it’s is processed without the use of heat, and you know the fats in it aren’t rancid; whole seeds maintain their “freshness” months longer than ground seeds do. To further preserve your flax meal, store it in the fridge, which will ensure the fats don’t go rancid.

To keep with the theme of healthy fats and antioxidants, as well as layer this dish with different textures, we chose a combination of toasted coconut flakes, blueberries, and crushed up pistachios to top it all of. Toasted coconut adds chew and toasty goodness that’s not found in raw coconut. Blueberries add a soft burst of sweetness & juiciness, which contrasts the richness of the smoothie bowl. Pistachios add crunch and… well, pistachio-ness, which goes very well with the other flavors in this mix.

This smoothie bowl makes the perfect amount for a fulfilling breakfast, without giving you that over-stuffed feeling, like a plate of hash browns does. Customize to your heart’s desire, just remember to add a pinch of salt to counteract any bitterness, add a touch of vanilla to compliment the avocado, sweeten it generously, and top it with something crunchy, chewy, or juicy to compliment the smoothie’s creaminess.

If you like what your taste buds are tellin’ ya, leave behind a nice rating, share your thoughts with us in the comments, or show us your creations by tagging @noeggsorham on Instagram.

Go Forth & Devour,
Kim & Ryan