Supergirl Smoothie Bowl

I have been obsessed with making green smoothies ever since it's gotten warm out. I love how you can completely mask the "green part" by adding delicious fruit and other ingredients. I also love how light and energized I feel after having one.

I came across the concept of smoothie bowls on Pinterest a couple of months ago. You basically just make a smoothie, pour it in a bowl and top it with fruit, granola or whatever else you want.

I've noticed that even though I feel energized and light after my morning smoothie, I find myself hungry a couple hours later. I feel like it's a mental thing and the fact that I'm drinking it versus chewing and eating it makes me feel less full. Now, when I make the smoothie into a bowl I have found that I am completely satisfied until lunch. I think it's the combination of eating with a spoon and having to chew the toppings.

You might be surprised to find that I used cottage cheese in this smoothie. I typically use nonfat Greek yogurt to give my smoothies great texture and extra protein. I recently read however, that cottage cheese can improve the consistency of the smoothie even more so than yogurt, and it has just as much protein. I was hesitant at first because the texture of cottage cheese grosses me out, although once you blend it you don't even know it's there! 

Cottage cheese is packed with protein which helps the body maintain healthy tissue. It is a great source of calcium which is essential to having strong bones. Lastly, it contains the Vitamin B12 which helps support brain function.

Ingredients for smoothie:

1 cup loosely packed spinach leaves

1 frozen banana 

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

5-6 ice cubes

Toppings Ingredients:

handful of fresh strawberries

1 tsp. chia seeds

1/4 cup granola

Directions:

1) Blend smoothie ingredients until smooth.

2) Pour smoothie into a bowl and top with strawberries, chia seeds and granola.