Fresh strawberries + coconut cream + steamed cauliflower = BREAKFAST HEAVEN. Spiriteds, I cannot even begin to tell you exactly how much I am geeking out over this recipe. I simple cannot. Words fail me. But this Strawberry Coconut Smoothie Bowl is all things that are good and right and well with the world.
And if you think I might be a little over the top about it, let me just say BOTH GIRLS ATE IT WILLINGLY AND WITH JOY.
Seriously.
They each devoured their Strawberry Coconut Smoothie Bowl that is photographed here in a coffee cup. To borrow from Flynn Rider, “Nuance.” Coffee cup, breakfast bowl? It all tastes great in the end, so how much does it really matter? Given the smooth, creamy, dairy-free texture and fresh berries with a hint of vanilla thrown into the mix? Not much at all.
I love adding steamed cauliflower to smoothies and breakfast bowls now because, when steamed, cauliflower is a super-neutral flavor. That veggie, earthy flavor goes bye-bye, not to mention you get a source of vegetables in the deal. Not bad, if I do say so myself. And I DO.
However, if you are on the fence about working with coconut milk, let me say, the other flavors in this Strawberry Coconut Smoothie Bowl minimize the coconut-y flavor. I’m not one to just sit and eat coconut for the sake of eating coconut, #KHUBS, but I do like it in this recipe. And I’m picky about ALL THE THINGS.
Spiriteds, I fully played office as a child for eight hours and included my own lunch break, complete with salad. Mom’s old classroom attendance notebook was my accounts receivable ledger, and the broken rotary phone was my desk phone. Probably I wore my Sunday school dress as my suit. Or maybe it was casual Friday. Who even can remember? What I do know is I finally came around to appreciating the creamy part of full-fat coconut milk some 30 years later.
We can do new things.
Also, let’s just make a mental note to ourselves that our Strawberry Coconut Smoothie Bowl is the PERFECT make-ahead breakfast option. Let’s break down how that might play out, shall we?
- Chill a can of full-fat coconut milk (usually found in the baking aisle of the grocery store) for at least a few hours or, even better, overnight. DO NOT shake the can. Yo want the cream and the oil to separate. That is, in part, how you get the creamy goodness for this recipe. You can go to the store and buy coconut cream itself. It’s typically more expensive, but you’ll have an entire can of cream. Depending on how much you plan to make at a time, that may be worth considering.
- While the coconut is chillin’, steam a head of cauliflower. No worries on making the florets nice and uniform. Just break them apart, throw them in your steamer, and then let them do their thing. Once they are softened, either store them in the fridge (if you plan on making your smoothie bowl within a few hours) or freeze them (if you are also chilling your coconut milk overnight). Note: if you plan to freeze them, then break them down into tinier pieces, which will make for easier blending later.
- As for the protein powder, I add it to the mix if I know I’ll be consuming my smoothie within about two, maaaaaaaybeeeee three, days.
Lastly, but never leastly, this Strawberry Coconut Smoothie Bowl will thicken as it stands, almost like a pudding if you leave it overnight. Just, you won’t believe it’s dairy-free and gluten-free and vegan-friendly and paleo-friendly. The rich, creamy texture will blow your mind. Like, how can a cruciferous vegetable do such wonderful things in a fruit smoothie bowl? HOW??? I do not know, Spiriteds. All I DO know is it tastes like a wonderland of creamy goodness and fruity delights, and I get credit for eating my vegetables.
This Strawberry Coconut Smoothie Bowl is where it’s at, Spiriteds. Just one delicious, creamy, healthy bite after another.
Strawberry Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed and halved
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk, chilled (at least a few hours, preferably overnight – do NOT shake can prior to chilling)
- 2 scoops vanilla planted-based protein powder (not officially paleo, but I use Orgain and love it)
- 1 cup steamed cauliflower florets, cooled or frozen
- Dash of agave nectar (vegan), 100% pure honey (paleo), maple syrup (vegan or paleo), optional
- Garnish with walnuts, pecans, chia seeds, shredded coconut, strawberry slices, or flax seeds, optional
Instructions
- Skim the coconut cream that has formed at the top of the can of coconut milk and then place in a high-speed blender. You should have about 1/2 cup of cream. Discard the oil that has separated in the can (or save for other uses – you won’t need it here). Add fresh strawberries, protein powder, cauliflower florets, and sweetener, if desired, to blender and mix on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately or store in glass containers for up to three days. Top with desired add-ons.
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