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Maple Chai Smoothie Bowl (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

March 4, 2016

I think I might have been a squirrel in a past life. 

Maple Chai Smoothie Bowl

Aaaand I just fell down an Internet rabbit hole searching for a squirrel emoji. Evidently there isn’t one, though there is a koala emoji (?), a poodle emoji (?), and a water buffalo emoji (?).

But I digress. The reason I think I might have been a squirrel is that when we moved, I had to clean out my kitchen cabinets and I found about a million different almost-finished bags of nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, granola, etc. It was completely ridiculous. Like, why can’t I be more organized and not save five walnuts in their own separate bag for two years? 

A better person (like Marie Kondo) would have thrown them all out, or created some kind of system for keeping them neat and tidy. But nope, not me. I piled everything into a box, brought them all to our new house, and stashed them back in the cabinets just as they were. Ugh.

But at least I am trying to use them up. And a great way to do that is by making smoothie bowls. โ†“โ†“โ†“

Maple Chai Smoothie bowl 2

It’s kind of odd how into smoothie bowls I’ve been lately. I like creamy peanut butter, not crunchy. And I prefer classic vanilla Haagen-Dazs to overloaded Ben & Jerry’s. But when it comes to smoothie bowls, I’m like, bring it. The more toppings the better. Hemp seeds, pepitas, blueberries… I want it all. 

This time I also wanted all the spices. Cinnamon. Cardamom. Ginger. Cloves. I mixed up a quick and simple DIY chai spice blend. You’ll only need 1/2 teaspoon for this smoothie bowl, but save the extra in a little jar. It lasts forever and is delicious stirred into oatmeal, yogurt, or hot chocolate. 

Chai Spice

My friend Kaitlin (Hi, Kaitlin!) commented on one of my recent smoothie posts, asking about substitutions for the banana. It was a great question. For this recipe, I would suggest trying frozen mango or strawberries. You might also replace the almond milk with Greek yogurt to ensure it stays nice and creamy.  

Maple Chai Smoothie Bowl 3

March is maple sugaring season in New England, and since I’m originally from Massachusetts, I always crave maple syrup at this time of year. I’ve been having this smoothie bowl for breakfast on repeat lately. I just can’t get enough. Which is a good thing, considering all the nuts and seeds I’ve got to get through. Consider it spring cleaning. ?

Maple Chai Smoothie Bowl
2016-03-03 17:45:07
Serves 1
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For the smoothie bowl
  1. 1 large banana, peeled, frozen, and cut into chunks
  2. 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  3. 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  4. 2 teaspoons almond butter
  5. 1/2 teaspoon chai spice blend (below)
  6. 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  7. 4-5 large ice cubes
  8. Toppings: gluten-free granola, hemp seeds, toasted unsweetened coconut, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and/or berries
For the chai spice blend
  1. 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  2. 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
  3. 1 tablespoon ground allspice
  4. 1 tablespoon ground cloves
  5. 1 tablespoon ground ginger
Instructions
  1. To make the smoothie bowl, combine the banana, maple syrup, chia seeds, almond butter, chai spice blend, almond milk, and ice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add desired toppings.
  2. To make the chai spice blend, whisk all the ingredients together. Store in an airtight container indefinitely. (Makes a little over 1/4 cup.)
By Turnip the Oven
Turnip the Oven http://turniptheoven.com/
Sweet, smoky maple syrup and spicy chai are a perfect match in this easy, gluten-free, vegan smoothie bowl. Get the recipe and don't forget to load on the toppings!

Filed Under: Breakfast, Gluten-Free, Vegan Tagged With: chai, maple, smoothie

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Comments

  1. Lisa | Garlic + Zest says

    March 4, 2016 at 9:37 am

    I can concur with little bits and bags of leftover nuts and seeds in the pantry. I should either toss them or use them in one giant cookie — or maybe this smoothie! This looks like such a healthy breakfast!

    • Lucy Baker says

      March 4, 2016 at 9:40 am

      A giant cookie sounds like a great idea! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  2. Peter @ Feed Your Soul Too says

    March 4, 2016 at 9:52 am

    I love the spices and how you served it in a bowl!

  3. Maria@closetohome says

    March 4, 2016 at 9:54 am

    Smoothie bowls just seem to popular lately. This is a great flavor combination.

  4. Monique says

    March 4, 2016 at 10:00 am

    Ummm maple chai… DELICIOUS! Such a good idea to keep a little blend of homemade chai spice mix handy. I am SO going to do that from now on!

  5. Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says

    March 4, 2016 at 10:24 am

    I’m loving this smoothie bowl! All my favourite spices!

  6. Tracy | Baking Mischief says

    March 4, 2016 at 11:04 am

    Hey, random cupboard foodstuffs can totally “spark joy,” so I think you’re justified in keeping them. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    This looks so good. Maple and chai are two of my favorite flavors, so this smoothie bowl is right up my alley! I can’t wait to try it.

  7. Sophie says

    March 10, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    Mmmmm! Looks delish! Thank you for posting this. I’m a vegetarian and sometimes a hearty breakfast is hard to come by.

  8. Heather McClees says

    August 2, 2016 at 3:07 am

    What a lovely recipe! I love chai and I love smoothie bowls, so this is just perfect! ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. Erin says

    October 5, 2017 at 8:41 am

    Hello!

    This looks so good and I can’t wait to try it! I did have a question though about using chia seeds. Something I haven’t used before and I read somewhere to soak them first? Can you let me know how you prepare them or if you just throw them in?

    Thanks!

  10. Lindsey says

    December 14, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    Can’t wait to try this, it looks so good and healthy too!

Welcome!

Hi! I'm Lucy. Turnip the Oven is my vegetable-focused food blog, but sometimes I'm sidetracked by dessert. My recipes are simple and approachable, and I use fresh, seasonal ingredients. I hope I inspire you to eat more plantsโ€ฆand cookies.

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